


A Call to Action (Book 1/3) | REWRITING

by TAngel96



Series: The Echo Collection [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Amazing Spider-Man (Movies - Webb), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Betrayal, Cliffhangers, F/M, Feels, Fights, Friendship/Love, Mutant Powers, Mutants, Post-Avengers (2012), Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 19:37:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 37
Words: 87,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10394562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TAngel96/pseuds/TAngel96
Summary: Everything changes in the blink of an eye.One minute I'm having the time of my life with a new family, and the next, I am six feet deep hollow of emotion with a huge amount of guilt on my shoulders. How could this happen/ How could so many lives depend on us, only for us to let them down?Stitches, broken bones, shattered hearts, God, the Avengers were torn. And to make it worse, the government decides to step in with a different agenda.Lilly Parker reunites with her cousin, Peter Parker, and tries to make the world a better place. Meanwhile, two villains team up and make a plan to conquer the world. But, every plan has its faults. With heartache, fights, and romance in the bloom, the Avengers have to work together to stop the impending war, or watch society crumble into chaos.Book 1 of 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is set after the fall of SHIELD in Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier. Trust doesn't come easy, so some of the characterization is based on lack of trust at first. 
> 
> I do not own any of the characters except for my own. The plot is my own work, and I'm proud to own that. I'll mention key things from MCU, but this will not overlap with Civil War, or any other movie other than Infinity Wars later on. Please enjoy, and feel free to leave as many comments as you wish!

I was spotted. I had to move fast. My heart took off and my brain couldn't catch up. My reflexes reacted and I ran. Women say it's difficult to run in heels, but oh, they were wrong. My legs carried me through the endless hallways until I spotted it. My way in. There was a table out of place against the crème colored wall. I tossed it aside, which caused the wall to trigger and open the secret passageway.

"Over here!" One of the men called.

I didn't dare look back and immediately shut the passage behind me. I jammed the mechanism with a pipe I took off of the wall. I performed the task so easily that I didn't seem to notice. Steam flew out of the opening, making it the perfect distraction from how hot it was. I rushed down the stairs and maintained my heart rate. My black high heels clicked against the cement as I stumbled through the dark staircase. Angry yelling and banging against the wall echoed everywhere around me. My eyes caught sight of the lit up keypad and I inserted the code with my shaky hands.

They were close behind.

I couldn't risk it. This mission was too important to get myself killed. The door opened and I sprinted to the computer. The computer had seven blue screens sprawled against the back room of the small enclosure, lit up and ready to go. The pressure started to crawl into my skin. _If they catch me, I'll never get out of their grasp. My boss will never trust me again._ My fingers skated across the keyboard after I plugged in the USB device. The full download began, leaving me with nothing to do but read what files it contained. My eyes widened as I realized what was being downloaded. "No…"

A loud crash came from the passageway. _They're here…_ I thought. My hazel eyes glanced at the screen. The download was eighty percent complete. I rolled my eyes and snatched the USB from the computer. I needed to make a quick exit, and that's the one thing I couldn't forget.

"Turn around and put your hands in the air," the man declared. I put my hands in the air and slowly turned around. If only he knew what I could do. A smirk played on my lips as I glanced up at him. He was prepared with a bow and arrow in my face. His short brown hair was spiked up and he stared back at me with his light blue eyes. His body was small, but muscular. His black outfit completed his look, that is, if he was going for the cliché dark knight look. "Why are you smiling?"

"You don't know me, Clint Barton, but I know you. Have fun trying to catch me," I stated with pride in my voice. I created a portal next to me, which led to the hallway outside, and jumped into it before he could do anything and I booked it. If I didn't give my boss the files, I wouldn't get to meet the head of the company. I needed to find out who it was. There was talk around the office, but no one really knew.

"She's trailing back!" Clint yelled into his ear piece. I could hear his fast steps as he followed behind me.

I took a sharp turn, only to be greeted by another man. His blue eyes narrowed on me and took a swing. I ducked before he could punch me and punched him in the gut. I didn't realize before then that he was extremely fit with abs of steel. He didn't kneel over, so I elbowed him in the shoulder. He let out a small cry and punched me in the side. My foot met his sensitive area and he kept fighting. I was pushed against the wall and pinned there, so I had to do what it took to get out. I froze his hands, making him stumble backwards from the immense cold shock he felt. He yelled and cursed to himself. I dipped it down the hallway and heard a noise erupting from behind me. I flipped around and put my hand out, intending to stop whatever was flying at me.

Captain America's shield stopped mid-air five feet in front of me. Cap's face was pure shock as he stood there, dumbfounded. I used my powers to drop the metal shield and raced out of the back door. No one was there waiting for me, so I took off in my sleek black Camaro as fast as I could. I exhaled as I saw Clint and Steve barge out of the back door and witnessed me driving away. Clint kicked the dumpster next to him as he yelled something; Steve stood there, still trying to process what happened. I smiled at the fact that I just escaped from their grasp, able to live another day.

 

The doors to my boss' office opened and I was escorted inside. The dark grey walls outshined the polished brown wooden flooring in the light. My boss sat in the oversized chair at the black metal desk. The doors were closed behind me and I walked towards his desk. He checked me out and I rolled my eyes. "You wanted to see me?" I straightened out my slim black dress and adjusted my rectangle framed glasses.

"What happened with the mission I gave you?" He questioned in a stern voice. His brown eyes glanced at my own and fixed his short blond hair. He leaned over and rested his elbows on his desk.

I took out the USB and set it on his desk. "Mr. Kelt, I'll have you know that Hawkeye and Captain America were there, and I had the situation handled. You don't need to worry about if the mission went well. All that I found is on that flash drive. If there's something missing, then it wasn't there at that location to begin with."  Mr. Kelt eyed me before taking it. "So, when do I get to meet the big boss?" I asked impatiently. I bit my lip as he glanced up at me from his computer.

Mr. Kelt sighed and stated, "He won't be here until next week."

I raised an eyebrow. Anger filled up inside of me, but I couldn't take it out on him. He was my boss. I could get fired. Or worse. Killed. I exhaled loudly and crossed my arms. "I thought he was coming this week." This impeded my progress. I was going to meet the big boss to find out who he truly was.

"Change of plans. He's coming next week."

I turned around and walked away, "I'll meet him then."

Before I could walk out, Mr. Kelt added, "Oh, and Ms. Bithry, I want those files I requested earlier on my desk by tomorrow morning. And you look amazing in that dress, by the way."

I scoffed to myself and declared, "Yes, sir." I immediately went out of the office and straight for my car. I couldn't take being at that company any longer. I passed by the glass doors with the hydra symbol on it and took out my car keys. I had been working here for years trying to get intel amongst other things...I had to use a fake name, which has worked so far. If they knew who I was, I'd be held hostage for sure. _I'm so tired…I just have one stop to go._ As I got into the car, I looked in the rearview mirror at myself. My curly brown hair fell to my shoulders and my hazel eyes glared back at me. My light skin was clearer than I thought it would be with all of this stress on my plate. I cleaned the lenses of my glasses and put them back on. I loathed all of this entirely, but it was for the greater good. I started up the engine and went to my next destination before I headed home.


	2. Chapter 2

I cut the engine and stared up at the tall building in front of me. My stomach churned and flopped every second, almost making me gag from the bile. _I haven't seen him since I was a child. Would he even remember me?_ I gulped and glanced at my hazel eyes in the mirror. _Would he even care?_ My hand raked my curly hair back, making it flow on either side of my face. I exhaled after I realized I was holding my breath and got out of my Camaro.

This was it.

The moment of truth.

Something I had anticipated nearly my whole life was about to happen. I listened to the quiet sounds of crickets and the distant drone of car engines in the night. The crisp air had a slight chill. As my hand reached out to open the door, I straightened myself up and added confidence to my look. I had a _lot_ of explaining to do… Soon enough, the apartment door I needed to go to stood right in front of me. I raised my hand to knock on the door, but realized it was already open. My eyebrows raised and I set my hand on my pistol. _Is he hurt?_ The tension crept up on me. _Has someone killed him?_ My eyes darted around the room as I entered and took everything in.

The dim lighting set a tired mood, which made the apartment seem cozy. The room was clean beyond any spots. A brown couch rested in the middle of the room facing the big screened television on the wall. Book shelves lined the walls full of books, pictures, and knick knacks. One was of m-

Someone's fist met my side and I immediately grabbed their arm and twisted it. Steve Rogers yelled out in agony and used his foot to swipe my feet from the floor. I hit the ground, but lifted my leg and knocked him right in the jaw. He was knocked against the wall, so I took my advantage and took a stance. "You're trespassing," he stated sternly.

"The door was open," I shot back. "I didn't come to finish you off, if that's what you're thinking."

"Oh yeah?" Steve threw his fist, but I deflected his shot. I punched him in the nose and dodged his next move. I knocked a few books on the bookshelf over and at him, trying to distract him. I needed to find something to knock him out with. He countered my punch to the stomach and grabbed my gun. He threw it across the room and watched me with his blue eyes. "Then why are you here?"

My eyes flickered to the gun and back at him. My breathing staggered from the fighting and my messy hair was everywhere. I dove for the gun, but he caught me and pushed me up against the wall. The room exploded with heat; his hot minty breath hit my face like a summertime fan. Steve held a gold trophy up, ready to strike at any time. "I should just kill you, Hydra scum."

I checked him out and grinned sarcastically. "Whoa, calm down there, Cap. That's a lot of talk for someone who can't even kill their best friend when your life was at stake," I hissed. I could have easily gotten out of the situation, but I wanted to see how far he would go. Push him beyond his limits. _He won't do it._

He was about to hit me over the head with the trophy before I moved slightly. He missed, which gave me the opportunity to punch him in the groin. He saw it coming, so he caught my fist before I could hit him. He pushed me across the room and into a glass lamp. I fell to the floor and accidentally cut my face as blood dripped down. I simply chuckled and declared, "You're messing with the wrong girl, Rogers." My cuts healed itself and his face paled when he noticed. Steve's eyes widened in pure horror and confusion as he took a step backward. _Now he's afraid…Perfect._ My eyes glanced around as I exhaled and realized something. Someone entered the room. My heart dropped inside of my chest. "Peter?"

Peter Parker, my favorite cousin, walked in between Cap and I. His short brown hair was spiked up slightly in the front; his dark brown eyes glistened in the light as he cocked his head. He wore Deadpool pajama pants and a gray T-shirt, and his skin was pale from the stress he had. His mouth opened, but the words failed to come out at first. "Lilly? Is that you?"

I nodded and smiled slyly. "Aunt May told me I could find you here." I threw a look at Steve before turning back to Peter. "He's your roommate?"

"We're stuck in pairs for now. The Avengers can't go anywhere alone, especially after what's been happening lately," Steve shot back, glaring at me as I walked over to Peter.

I hugged my cousin tightly and he wrapped his arms around my waist. He was only a couple inches taller than I was, which was funny, because it used to be the other way around. "You talked to Aunt May? She didn't tell me you were alive…I thought you were still missing."

I backed away and looked into his tired eyes. "It was supposed to be a surprise."

Steve scoffed, "Yeah, which almost got you killed."

"Killed? I completely had you handled. I could've done more damage if I needed to. Remember earlier?" I crossed my arms as I turned to Steve. He should just stop talking because this man was getting on my last nerve. Just because he was Captain America didn't mean he could go around thinking he was stronger than anyone else. "You don't know half of the things I can do."

Peter raised up his hands and glanced at both of us in confusion. "Whoa, wait on here. She was the one you were talking about?"

He narrowed his eyes and nodded. "Whatever she is, Peter, isn't for the greater good."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "Why would I be here to see my cousin if I was solely working for Hydra? I would've killed you and Barton earlier if I was on the opposite team. Now, tell me that isn't for the greater good."

"Those powers are not going to benefit the planet," Steve leaned against the wall. Peter rubbed his eyes and shrugged. There was a few moments of silence before Steve got an idea. He pulled out his Swiss army knife and threw it at me.

I used my powers and suspended it in mid-air, which ended up right in front of my face. I raised an eyebrow and glared at him, "I think you underestimate me, Rogers."

Peter's eyes widened and he freaked out. He got up close to examine the floating knife. "Whoa! Since when did you have powers?"

"A while…" I trailed off. I dropped the knife and set it on the table. "Look…gather up everyone because I have information for all of you."

"Is it valuable information? I wouldn't want to disturb the rest of the group over something that could be unimportant," Steve remarked in a rude tone. His eyes pierced through mine, just waiting for me to make a sudden move.

I sighed in frustration. He was being difficult. "I'll tell you when you get them in a call."

Peter glanced at Steve, "She won't give up, you know. She never does."

"Never will," I grinned slightly and folded my arms across my chest. "We can't waste any time. It's already late and I want to go home."

"What, you aren't going to stay here?" Peter asked in a hurt tone. "You just got here…" My heart ached at the tone of his voice. He sounded so hurt, so destroyed that I was choosing to leave after reuniting with him for the first time in over twenty years. I hesitated and moved my mouth to say something, but inaudible words came out.

Steve scoffed and walked towards the computer in the Peter's room. "That's probably what she does for a living, Peter. Meets someone and leaves when they aren't useful anymore."

"You don't know me. You have no right to say that," I shot back angrily. "Of all the things I have to go through everyday, I never thought the worst thing I would have to do was talking to you. I don't have to help you, you know."

Peter's room had white walls and flat brown carpet. The bare walls made it seem like it was a regular room, not one Peter would have customized to make his own. He probably didn't want to get too attached to one room before they had to move again. A twin sized bed was pushed against the wall next to the window draped in black curtains. The bed itself was a complete disaster area. All that could be seen was the red plaid comforter and the white blankets underneath. Dirty clothes were thrown into a pile in one corner and the clean clothes hung in the closet neatly. A computer desk sat nicely against the only empty wall. The only thing it held was a laptop and a few empty cans of soda. Peter started up the laptop and started a call with the other avengers. Steve kept firing back, "Yeah, why are you helping us? You're working for Hydra. From the looks of things, you're one of the most dangerous _creatures_ on the planet."

"I am a person just like you and Peter, thank you very much. I'm trying to better the earth and rid it of evil scum like Hydra. Ever heard of an undercover agent?" Steve scoffed as I continued, "At least I'm getting more work done than you are. You wouldn’t have gotten this information if it wasn't for me."

Two separate windows appeared on the screen. Clint Barton and Natalia (Natasha) Romanova appeared on one, while Tony Stark and Bruce Banner appeared on the other. Natasha sat next to Barton and put her legs on him. Her bright red hair fell to her shoulders and her green eyes fixated on the screen. Clint squinted as he looked at our window and angrily asked, "What the hell is she doing there?"

I rolled my eyes and got closer to the computer. "Can it, Barton, and let me explain."

Tony worked in the background of the lab while Banner sat in front of the computer. Tony's short brown hair and brown eyes reflected off of the shiny white surface he was working on. Banner's wavy brown hair barely met his eyes as it slicked to the side; his brown eyes moved from place to place, probably reading over new materials or lab reports. Tony stated with a small smile, "I like her already."

The corners of my mouth lifted a bit before I started explaining. "I am working undercover for Hydra. My name is Lilly Parker, a-"

"Peter has a hot family member he was keeping from us?" Tony questioned as he put a finger up. "I don't think that's very nice."

"You have Pepper," Peter said and made a weird face.

My eyes glazed over and I continued, annoyed, "Hydra is being ran by someone new. I was supposed to meet him today, but he couldn't make it. The information I delivered on that flash drive was just busy work for them to look through. I took off what was important, which was the fact that someone is close to making the super soldier serum."

Rogers scrunched his face and shook his head, "That's impossible. Everything was destroyed after that."

I disagreed quickly, "I never said it was from Stark's files. Someone took matters into their own hands to recreate it from scratch. But that's not all…"

"So what if they make the super soldier serum? It's not like they're going to get a bunch of people to test on before they actually get it right," Natasha pointed out.

Steve cut in before she could say any more, "If they make it, they instantly have a super soldier army. If that serum gets into the wrong hands, we might need more backup."

"There's only one super soldier that will ever push their way into our hearts, and that's you, Steve," Banner put a hand on his heart and laughed.

A headache started forming in the back of my head. _I should've just gone home…_ I thought tiredly and pinched the bridge of my nose. "It's like you guys don't even care."

"Come on, sweetheart, there's nothing the avengers can't handle," Barton chuckled and waited for my reaction.

I glared at the screen. "You couldn't handle me earlier. If you can't handle me, then you can't handle a lot of things."

"You know, I like her when she's angry," Banner declared and laughed. A few others joined in with his laughter, which only made my head pound even more.

Barton was about to spit something back before Peter stopped him, "Hey. Lilly came here to help us. Alright? Hear her out." His brown eyes glanced up at me to inform me to continue.

I nodded. "That's not all. I've heard that Hydra has a new director and they have an army. An army of what? I don't know. Didn't sound like anything from this world, though. That could be dangerous for humanity. Just a heads up."

Everyone became silent and straight faced. There was an awkward tension between all of us. Tony cleared his throat and stated in a deep voice, "We'll get right on that." He then ended his end of the call.

"I'll see if my friends have any information on this," Natasha declared and looked right at the screen before she ended the call.

Peter leaned back and put his hands behind his head. "Well, I guess that settles it."

Steve turned to me and nodded at Peter. "So, now the only question is, what in the world is she?"

He shrugged and looked at me, noticing the angry expression on my face. "Whatever she is, she's on our side. We can ask questions later. Right now, she gave us great intel. That's all we need." Rogers took one last glance at me before turning in for the night. He shut his bedroom door and everything fell silent again.

I fell onto Peter's messy bed and put my head in my hands. I exhaled loudly and rubbed my face. "Peter…" My hazel eyes met his chocolate ones and I sighed. I didn't know exactly how to word this. "I heard what happened to your girlfriend a while ago…I'm sorry for your loss."

Peter's face drained of color and his eyes darted to the floor. He hunched over in his seat and stuttered, "T-Thanks…" I gave him a moment to regain his breath, which seemed to become erratic for a few seconds, and then calm down again. When he was ready, he fixated his eyes on my face. His voice cracked a bit, "What happened to your parents?"

My heart sunk down to the pit of my stomach and tears filled my eyes. I didn't want to look away from him. Looking away from him meant I wasn't strong enough to maintain that eye contact, and that was something I couldn't do. I felt the need to be strong for the both of us, even if we were both equally miserable. My hands trembled at the memories that played through my head like a movie theater. I cracked a small smile and let a few tears streak down my face before I spoke. "I, uh…don't want to talk about it right now…"

No one uttered a word for a few minutes. We sat there staring at each other for what felt like forever, trying to read each other's thoughts and simplify the other's emotions. It was all too much to break down at once, so Peter gave in first. "Why do you have powers?" When I didn't say anything, he started to talk, "I was actually bit by a radioactive spider. It gave me spider-like abilities." When I raised an eyebrow, he knew I was intrigued and my attention was fully on him. "You know, I actually made the webs that I use when I'm out fighting crime. I put on these gadgets that stick to my wrist and they shoot webs where I want them to. That's how I swing across New York. I beat my own records at times…" He chuckled lightly, "My highest record for getting across New York is in five minutes. I completed that last week." Peter's eyes brightened up at the thought of it and a broad smile swept across his face.

The proud expression on his face made me giggle. "I thought you said I could tell you later."

He glanced at me and raised his eyebrows, "It's later, isn't it?"

"I don't know how I'm going to live with your sassiness," I scoffed in return. I played with my hands for a second as I gathered my thoughts. Telling him now would be too soon. The last thing I wanted was for the Avengers to see me as a threat because of what I am. Maybe not telling him was for the best… "I'm not ready to explain. Alright?"

"Alright. I'll just wait then. When you're ready, tell me immediately! I want to know everything."

"Thank you…" I trailed off and stretched my arms. I yawned and nearly threw myself completely on his bed. I resisted the urge and stood up. "Well…I have to go before anyone realizes I'm here. I have to keep my cover from being blown and you need to be kept safe."

Peter got up wearily and remarked, "I'm Spiderman. I can handle myself. I've saved New York like…twice already by myself."

I wrapped my arms around my cousin in a tight hug, nearly choking him. "Yeah, well, someone's gotta look out for you. Might as well be me, right?" I snatched his cell phone away from his reach before he could stop me and saved something in it. "There. You have the number to my burner phone. Don't try calling me too much. Sometimes I'll be at work, and if I answer, that's super suspicious. They have cameras everywhere."

He nodded and took his phone back. "I'll probably call you at night anyway. I'm sure you won't work the graveyard shift. Only scientists do that in Hydra, or so I've heard anyway." Peter showed me out the door and smiled to me, "Take care of yourself. I'll call you tomorrow night."

I straightened myself up and grinned back. "It was great seeing you, Peter. I really missed you."

"I would miss me too, it's okay," he laughed.

His laugh rang in my ears and brought me back to the great memories of our childhood. We used to play in the tree house in my backyard and would play up there for hours. We'd spy on the neighbors and pretend to be superheroes. Other times, we would act out scenes from our favorite movies. Some days we would have movie marathons and dramatically mouth the lines. We would be in giggle fits almost half the day most of the time. I ran my tongue along my teeth to keep from laughing too loud and commented, "Yeah, whatever. Goodnight, Peter."

"Goodnight, Lilly."

As I walked out of the building, I thought about my actions. One side of me said I was justified in coming to visit my beloved cousin. The other half of me screeched at the fact that I probably compromised myself and Peter. I contemplated. _I know it's dangerous to be seeing him while I'm working for the enemy, but I had to. He's my cousin! I haven't seen him in forever. I really needed to see him…It brought back great memories that I forgot about. That also means there will be many more memories to make with him, now that he knows I'm alive and well._ I scrunched my nose as I got inside of my car. Something didn't feel right. _He definitely cared about me. What if Rogers won't let me see him anymore? I'm working with the enemy…It's dangerous, but it's what I have to do to keep myself sane. I've been working alone for too long. Enough is enough._


	3. Chapter 3

I just wanted one thing.

Sleep.

Hydra was doing nothing but being repetitive of their actions. They wanted to take down what was left of S.H.I.E.L.D and take over the world. Every day, it was always some new tactic being brought up and shot down. I didn't work in the super top secret department, so I didn't know of the hush hush projects the director had set in store. That was the worst thing. I needed to know those kinds of things. It's the only way to get great information and be one step ahead of the enemy.

My head was pounding and my eyes hurt. I had been staring at a computer screen all day running through the system and its files, making sure that I had remembered every exact thing on them. Plus, I actually had to research some information for the director, which I still hadn't met. _Not until next week…_ My boss' words swam through my mind. I glanced occasionally at the rearview mirror and would catch a peek of myself. Half of my brown hair was up in a ponytail, while the rest flowed down to my shoulders like a waterfall. My tired hazel eyes were red and nearly dry. I pushed up my glasses and kept my eyes on the road.

My cell phone started ringing as I sped down the road. I clicked on my Bluetooth to answer the call, and when it didn't work, I realized it was my burner phone that was ringing. I dug through my purse while keeping my eyes glued to the street in front of me and answered the phone when I had found it. "Hello?"

"Hey…uh, I'm on my way home. We just got done with a mission and we have a notebook that I'm probably going to need help deciphering. There are codes and secret messages everywhere," Peter spoke. His voice sounded stressed and exhausted.

I scratched the back of my head and scrunched my nose. _Guess I'm not getting rest any time soon._ I thought. "Yeah, I'll head over there," I made sure there was no one else driving down the street before turning my car around as my tires screeched against the gravel. "How was the mission? Anyone injured?"

"Steve got knocked in the jaw and I was nearly shot, but we're all good." Peter hesitated and huffed before asking, "What's Project Animation?"

The wheels in my head turned as I searched through my memory. I squinted my eyes to see better. "That's the super top secret project they're working on. If I get onto the director's good side, I'll get in on it."

Steve's voice erupted from the background, "It sounds like more of a children's film than an evil plot."

I laughed at his silly remark and he became silent after he realized I could hear him. "So Rogers does have a sense of humor. Shocking."

Peter chuckled and Steve whispered in the background. "Well, it looks like we can have most of the information if we just study it," Peter's voice echoed from the phone.

I pulled up to the parking lot. "I'm coming up right now…" I hung up and got out of my car. I put my keys in my small purse and made sure to put my phone right next to it. All I could hear in the garage was the clicking of my high heels against the pavement and my quick breathing. _I hope I don't stay up all night again…I haven't slept for over twenty-four hours…_ I thought to myself.

A hand grazed my shoulder, which I immediately reacted to. I aimed to punch the culprit, but they caught my hand. Peter raised his eyebrows, which caused his forehead to crinkle. His eyes screamed worried as he let go of my fist. "You're a bit on the edge, don't you think?"

I sighed and rubbed my forehead softly, "I'm sorry. I haven't slept a lot lately…"

"Why not?"

My eyes glazed over before I looked up at him. "Too much work to do…Nightmares…My powers…Sometimes I wake up burning up like I'm about to burst into flames…" After I realized he was staring at me intently, I chuckled lightly, "I'm fine, Peter."

Steve walked over to us and handed me the notebook. His jaw was red and purple, indicating he was going to develop a bruise there. His suit was stained in blood in a few places and cut up around his sleeves. "Here. You should take a look at this."

"Thanks." I followed them to the fire escape of the apartment building and flipped through the pages. There were a few symbols that I recognized, but they really didn't mean anything special. Codes were scribbled across some pages while others contained some scientific studies of the project. They used technical terms for everything, so upon first reading it, I was extremely confused.

"Peter, when are we going to see the rest of the group again?" Steve questioned, his voice laced with a sense of longing. His eyes glanced around as they climbed up the metal staircase. We were in the middle of an alley, so no one would see us.

Peter thought for a moment and spoke, "Soon. I heard we have another lead on where the enemy might be. We're going to look sometime next week. We have enough time to rest up until then."

"I don't want to rest. I just want to find him and stop his plans once and for all. But how do we even know who it is? His name has been kept secret, so we shouldn't have any leads at all."

"It's the thought that counts. If we catch the right guy, it will all end soon," Peter remarked as he opened the window to their apartment.

Steve stepped through and stuck out his hand. I looked at him curiously and took his hand to be assisted inside. I was shocked to say the least. "That's extremely nice of you, Rogers."

"Don't get used to it," he shot back in a playful tone. "I might be a gentleman, but that doesn't mean that I want you here."

Once Peter came through the window, he shut it behind him and went immediately to the kitchen. "You want anything?"

"Ice," I replied as I plopped down on the couch. I skimmed the other pages and found a username imprinted on the side. I immediately took a picture of it before asking, "Hey, are you good at hacking?"

Peter's voice echoed from the kitchen, "Me? No. Natasha and Jarvis can usually hack things way better than anyone else on the team. Why?"

"I have a username here. I can't log into it at work because then they'll know I'm working against them. It might help to look into it. I'm sure there's a lot more information on it than there is in this notebook." I glanced up to see Steve cleaning his dirty red, white, and blue vibranium alloy shield. Peter came over and handed me the little bag of ice I asked for. I set the notebook down on the coffee table and went over to Steve.

He gazed up at me with his blazingly blue eyes and his eyebrows raised. "Can I help you?" Steve went into hostile mode for a second and the expression on his face showed that he didn't know whether to trust me or throw me across the room.

I held up the little bag of ice so he could see and then set it gently against his skin. He flinched at the coldness it brought, but calmed down. I grinned slightly, "I think this will help. You look pretty beat up." I let him grab a hold of the bag and I went to sit back down on the couch. In my mind, I patted myself on the back. _If I'm nice, then there won't be a reason to have Rogers tell the rest of the Avengers I am bad news. Then, I won't get banned from seeing my cousin. Problem solved._ I watched as Peter skimmed the notebook and stopped in a few places.

Rogers turned his head slightly to the right and his face became a blank slate. "Do you hear that?" Peter and I halted our actions and proceeded to listen to whatever Rogers was talking about. He set the notebook down on the table. The room's atmosphere thickened with tension. All that could be heard was the smallest breaths coming from all three of us. "The ticking sound?"

All three of us got up and lightly walked around. We listened in on where the sound was originating from and picked up on it in an instant. Peter glanced behind the bookshelf against the wall. His eyes widened and yelled, "Run!" Peter started out running, but Steve knew none of them would make it. He pulled him against the wall and covered them with his shield to the best of his ability. I knew that wouldn't protect both of them from the debris about to fly everywhere in chunks. My skin transformed into diamond and I bent over them to shield them.

The bomb went off in the next few seconds, breaking up objects in front of it to make chunks of it fly everywhere. The glass from the windows shattered and a sudden heat encumbered the room. I could feel the flames dancing on my skin, threatening to burn me, but not actually following through with its plan. It was the heat of a thousand suns, like nothing anyone has had the cruel punishment of enduring. I cried out in pain, but I had to hold my position, otherwise they'd be in danger. The couch flew against the wall and light bulbs broke. The little things in the bombs path nearly disintegrated from the amount of heat and how close it was to the blast radius. Objects reflected off of Steve's shield, clinking against the alloy every time in sharper tones.

The explosion came and went in a matter of seconds. When I was sure that the blast was over, I fell backwards in shock. I changed back to normal and felt the heat wave wash over me. The feeling got ten times worse and I was suddenly dizzy. My eyes glanced around at what I could, but all I could make out was smoke, ash, black smears everywhere, furniture on fire, and the occasional pieces of glass on the floor. Everything else was a big blur to me.

"Lilly!" Peter cried and crouched over me. "You saved us…"

I shut my eyes and tried to inhale. This type of heat seemed so familiar…That was when I remembered everything that happened that dreadful night. I began to panic in my already disoriented state, which only caused me to nearly faint. I inhaled softly, trying to get a normal intake of air. "You have to go. Now." I coughed when the black smoke began to seep into my lungs. "If Hydra knows you two are still alive, they'll come back to finish the job."

"I'm not leaving without you," Peter went to touch my arm to help me up.

I jerked away from him immediately, "Don't…I might burn you."

Steve coughed and wiped some of the ash off of his face. He turned to us and got to his feet. "We have to get out of here."

I pulled myself up using the table next to me and propped myself up. I closed my eyes for a second and tried to think. "Pull the fire alarm. That way the people will be safe and the agents will never find you in the crowd. They'll just assume you guys died." I opened my eyes to the world still spinning slightly. Peter hovered around me with worry in his eyes. "I'll be right behind you."

Steve disappeared into his room and came out with a blue duffel bag. He then ran out of the room to do what he was told. Peter pulled out his cell phone and called someone. "We've been compromised." After that, he hung up. He ran to his room and grabbed a black bag and his laptop before rushing out.

I stumbled out of the room wearily. The alarm went off, making people rush out of their rooms. A wave of citizens hit me and nearly sprinted passed me in a disorderly fashion. It was all a blur of colors that passed by me; I became disoriented. _Focus. Focus._ I thought. _Wait…The notebook…_ I turned to go back, but I was pushed into another apartment before I could do anything. My body met the floor as I skidded across the room. I yelped out in pain and tried to see who my attacker was. The room was pitch black and cold, so I couldn't see a damn thing, but I noticed someone advancing towards me. The heat that radiated off of their body grazed my skin and I prepared for the worst.

"What the hell are you doing here with the enemy?" The man hissed. He grabbed me by the shirt and held me up against the wall.

An ache soared up my back and on the back of my neck. I groaned a bit and realized my glasses were crooked. "I was trying to assassinate them before the bomb went off. I knew the bomb wouldn't kill them." I adjusted my glasses and let him get his head start before I beat him. I snorted, "How stupid can you be? You were trying to blow up _Captain America_ and _Spiderman_. You're ridiculous."

He grunted and slammed me against the wall again. "That's a bunch of bull shit."

My head hurt with an intensity higher than the fire had. I grinned slightly and punched him. He punched me back and kicked me in the leg. I elbowed him in the shoulder and he let me go. I dropped to the floor and stated, "This fight is a bunch of bull shit. Do you know what I can do?"

The guy caught his breath before trying to tackle me. "What? Fight?"

"Yeah, best fighter at the company," I gloated. I threw my fist into his gut and stepped back to avoid his swinging arm. I nearly fell back on whatever was behind me, and I fumbled around in the dark to find a safe spot. _He doesn't know what I am capable of._ I thought and listened to his footsteps. I heard him grunt as he swung his arm, so I caught it and bent it backwards. He cried out in pain and I threw him onto the floor.

"Lilly?" Peter called from outside. I punched the guy, knocking him into a lamp, which in turn fell to the floor with a loud thud. He opened the door and turned on the light to see us fighting. I tackled the man and punched him in the jaw. "Well, you've been busy," Peter remarked under his breath.

Another agent came up behind him and made him drop to the ground. Peter let go of his things and swung at the guy, putting them into a fight. Heat arose from the other room and soon, smoke made its way into the apartment. The agent pushed me up against the wall and grabbed my throat. Weary and dizzy, I set my hand on his shoulder. His hands wrung my neck out like a wet towel, but I had to do something quick. I used my powers to freeze what I touched. The ice went from his shoulder, up his neck and up to his brain. He screamed out of shock, and in seconds, his whole head froze over in ice. I pushed him down to the ground; his head smashed into a million tiny pieces all across the room. Peter noticed what happened and quickly hit the other guy's jugular, rendering him breathless. He then got the man's silenced pistol and shot him with it under his jaw.

I held myself up using the windowsill and coughed for a second. Peter straightened up after grabbing all of his belongings again. His brown eyes glanced at the man's leftover head and back at me. He was contemplating something, but I couldn't tell what. He opened the window I was up against and poked his head outside. "Shit…The fire escape must have broken during the explosion." He huffed and turned to me. "I'll help you down. No one is around the back anyway."

"You mean use your powers? Peter, the building is on fire."

He pursed his lips, "Do you have any better ideas?" When the silence continued, he stated, "Exactly. Hold onto me, alright?"

I nodded and slung my arms around his shoulder after he was halfway out of the window. "Don't drop me…" I wheezed.

"I won't, promise." He latched onto the building using his spider powers and started to climb down. Another explosion blew up a window next to us, and I ducked my head into his chest.

He lost his grip and I almost screamed as I fell. He dropped down, grabbing my hand as he latched back onto the wall. My arm almost burst out of the socket and I glared up at him. "What happened, Amazing Spider-Man? I thought you wouldn't drop me."

He set his feet on the ground. He helped me stand straight before answering, "That was an accident." He gazed up at the building and set his hand on my back. "I caught you, though," he remarked with a small smirk.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Spiderman saves the day. Whatever," I joke around and push him slightly.

"I'll drive you home." Peter walked me to my car and I shook my head.

"No. I can't have you in my car. What if I'm stopped by more of them? They'll murder you, Peter." I got my keys out and unlocked my car door. There was some smoke on my glasses, so I wiped it off with part of my shirt. I knew he was staring at me, but there was no way I would let him anywhere near my apartment when I was always being watched.

Rogers spoke up from the passenger side of their car, "What's taking you so long? We need to get out of here, Peter."

"Yeah, Steve, I know," he put his hand out to Steve, indicating him to wait. "Lil-"

I cut him off, "Peter, you need to listen to me." I put my hands on his face and made sure he was looking right into my eyes so he knew I wasn't messing around. "I _need_ to protect you. I couldn't protect my parents, so let me protect what little family I have left. Please…"

He thought for a moment before sighing a deep sigh. "Fine." He hugged me tightly before made his way to the drivers side of his car. "I will call you when we're safe."

"Peter," I called out to him. He hesitated before getting into his car. "We're never safe." I took in how my cousin looked. Exhausted. Broken. Things would get better soon. "I'm going to see the director in a few days. If I don't call you…You know I've been captured. Don't come looking for me. I could be dead."

Peter stopped and stared at me with hard eyes, trying to figure what I said out. "Fine. I won't look for you." He got into the car and quickly drove off.

My eyes glazed over with fresh tears. I never thought I would hear those words from my closest cousin in the world. I knew what I said and I meant it. Either he lied to me or he had a trick up his sleeve. Or just maybe…he was telling the truth…


	4. Chapter 4

My heart was racing. I didn't know what to think. Sitting across from me was the director of Hydra.

Red Skull.

 _The_ Johann Schmidt sat right across from me. How he got out from the Tesseract? Hell if I know. All I knew was that something bad was going to happen sooner or later.

His baby blue eyes stared me down as I raised my arm to brush my hair back. His red skull had the most amazing bone structure. The jaw line and cheek bones were outlined in such a way that it was impossible to believe the human skull could be so beautiful. He rubbed the non-existing stubble on his chin with his black gloves and creased his forehead. "Zee most beautiful sings come out of dark places, Ms. Bithry. Hydra is my most precious gift to zee world. If only zey vould understand. I'm not here to destroy or take over zee planet. I need someone who vill stand vis me in zis company vis pure loyalty. I need an apprentice." He cocked his head slightly, making sure I was still paying attention. Of course I was. One of the most hated men on the planet was sitting right in front of me. How could I not? "It seems like you are zee perfect kandidate, don't you sink?"

I smiled shyly and crossed my legs. "You flatter me, really. I am very loyal to you, my leader, but why not other agents?" I glanced at the dead agent on the floor. A bullet was lodged in his brain. A sad death for someone who didn't follow simple orders. Or should that be a warning with big red arrows pointing at the body? Would he kill me?

"Vye? You're zee most loyal agent here. Vich shtrikes me as odd because of your background." His blue eyes hardened and inspected my reaction.

I raised an eyebrow and asked, "Excuse me?"

He studied me before continuing. His eyes glimpsed over me and tried to arise another reaction out of me, maybe hesitation or a sense of lying. "You vere teshted on by someone wis zee same intentions as Hydra. Vye vould you possibly vork for us?"

I knit my eyebrows together and looked at him curiously. He was trying to crawl under my skin. I could not let him succeed. "Change of heart. He made me what I am today and I'm proud of the things we could achieve together if I just collaborate."

The room fell silent and the tension thickened. He leaned back against the chair and a grin played on his lips. "Or vork secretly for zee Avengers."

I sat up and almost pointed my finger at him. Throwing accusations around would get him nowhere. I knew how to lie. I just had to keep it together. "Why in the hell would I do that?"

He ticked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and his eyes lit up instantly. Something clicked in his head, and I was afraid to know what. He rubbed his hands together and smoothed out his black leather jacket. I noticed the red Hydra symbol on the sleeves, like when the Nazis put the swastikas there. "Vord got around zat you vere at _Captain America's_ place ven it blew up."

"Sir, I think that's just a rumor. I'm going to let you in on something." I leaned in closer and stated, "Other agents want me out of here because of how good I am at my job. Some may call it jealousy, others will call it selfishness. They can call me or say what they want. I call it a bunch of impulsive slander."

"Such shtrong vords koming from a fellow agent," Schmidt responded shortly. He licked his teeth and held back a smile. There was no fury in his eyes, which was almost worse than when there was. He had a trick up his sleeve.

I almost dug my nails into the arm of the chair. _This is bad…This is bad…_ I kept repeating in my head. All I could think about was that I could be part of the cause of the apocalypse. This guy was all business, and not the good kind. The feeling vibrated off of his aura and struck me. "I was at my apartment at the time. How could they know I was there?"

He flipped over the papers on his desk to reveal pictures of my apartment. "Zese heat signatures from your apartment show zat you aren't inside."

A chill crawled up my spine. I had to keep cool. It was not a problem. I could find another lie. "Alright…I went without orders to kill Cap and Spiderman myself. I heard the other agents planning it, and I knew them. They were too dumb to do things right. A bomb? Come on. You're trying to kill Captain America and Spiderman. I could easily get up close and personal. I have my ways of seducing people." I adjusted myself in my seat. "I didn't want to say anything because I could get in serious trouble."

Johann tore his gaze off of me and looked around the room. "You vould do zat?" I nodded, knowing it would be simple from here on out. A small hint of laughter was detected in his voice as he asked, "Zen vat vere you doing killing my men at zee scene? Vee scanned zee prints and zey are klearly yours."

Yet another lie I had to tell. Then again, my life was full of lies. I cleared my throat and didn't hesitate to answer. "They turned on me. Said it was their mission, not mine. He was right. But he tried ending my life. It was self defense. As you say, chop one head off and two more will grow in its place. Right?"

Red Skull sighed and his blue eyes stuck onto me like glue. "Oh, Lilly Parker, if only you knew vat potential you had."

I smirked a little bit to cover up the tension knotting in my stomach. "You must be mistaken. I'm Hannah Bithry."

He slammed a file on the desk in front of me and laughed. "No, no you're not."

Pictures scattered out of the fresh, crisp file. Pictures of me with Peter when we were little, of me with the X-Men, of me with Peter and Rogers right before the explosion, and so many more. A thick tension settled in the room, making it hard for me to breathe. At any second, I had to be ready for whatever he was going to throw at me. My eyes flickered up to his as my body tensed up. "What do you plan on doing?"

"I'm not going to take over zee vorld. Someone else vants to do zat. I vant to make the Captain America to suffer. He's zee one zat made me go into zee Tesseract. I vant to be zee kause of his death. Zat's all I vant. Vell, zat and maybe some kasualties zat are needed. And if anyone vants to get in my vay, zen zey'll be taken out vizout hesitation." His blue eyes wouldn't look away. An evil grin set across his lips and his white teeth began to show. He put his hand in the air and slowly closed it into a clenched fist. "If you plan on protecting him, zen I kan't vait to feel you squirm underneas my grasp as you take your dying breath."

"In your dreams," I shot back daringly. I narrowed my eyes and watched his every move carefully.

The smile didn't leave his face, which irked me a bit. He carefully moved his arm underneath his desk, "Well, Ms. Parker, it looks like my dreams are about to come true." He brought up a pistol and shot at me, but I turned my skin into diamond so it would reflect off of me. The grin transformed into a tight lip formation and he raised his brow. His eyes peered at me curiously, looking straight into my soul. I turned back and reached for something to throw at him, which ended up being a miniature bust of himself. He deflected the bust with his arm and I kicked the gun out of his hand. He quickly punched me in the gut and made me double over in pain. Schmidt elbowed me in the face, but I quickly retaliated and took the knife that I had in my pocket and aimed for his heart. It would have worked if he hadn't moved. The knife penetrated his collar bone and he cried out in pain. I set my hand on his other shoulder and attempted to trap him in ice. When Johann realized what I was doing, he threw me across the room and threw the knife into my leg.

I took a second to take things in as I took the knife out of my leg. I could taste the iron in my blood that ran from my nose as it poured out like a water fall. My nose adjusted itself and healed, but the blood was still coming out. My leg healed instantly, which gave me the strength to get up again. I formed my hands into a circle and created a flame. I proceeded to throw fire at Red Skull, setting the whole office ablaze, until the door barged open behind me. The next thing I knew, I was being tazed. Electricity ran through my body, half energizing me and half destroying my consciousness. I threw fire at the first guard. He was set on fire, but kept holding the tazer up. Another guard came up behind him and tazed me with his tazer. I screamed out of sheer pain as my skin started turning red. I got down on one knee and froze one of the tazers, making the electricity stop flowing from it. But it was already too late.

The next second I was enveloped in darkness.

 

The noise of someone coming into the room rang in my ears. "All I need is a sample of her skin tissue and some blood in order to find out what she is. From there, it shouldn't be very difficult," A woman stated. She set her utensils down on the table beside me and took one. "I heard what the director said. Her powers seem…incredible. We've never seen someone with multiple powers like that before." The utensil grazed my skin and made my body shake from how cold it felt. A shield formed around me and threw the doctor to the wall behind her. "What the-"

I woke up to find my powers protecting me. I grinned slightly and used my powers to bend the cuffs around my wrists. "Watch out Doc. This is gonna hurt like hell." I iced her feet to the ground to trap her and knocked her out with a punch to the face. I winced and held my hand as pain surged through it. _Now all I have to do is get out of here._ The alarm started to go off and the building turned red in the flashing lights. _Great. That's going to help a lot._

Over the intercom, a man declared, "Someone has entered the building without consent. Kill them."

 _It's only such a high punishment because the director is in the building. But wait…who else is here? It better not be Peter._ I thought to myself. I sighed and walked through the door. A man came up and threw me against the wall. I quickly reacted and grabbed his pistol that was on his hip and shot him with it. I grabbed the extra clip off of his vest and shot at the other two men rushing down the hall. They fell backwards and to the floor, leaking pools of blood everywhere. I stepped around them and heard a guy coming from around the corner. I leaned against the wall quietly. When he came around the corner, I smashed his face in with the pistol I held in my hand. I snatched his rifle as he fell and took advantage of my situation.

My legs carried me down two hallways as I searched the place. I couldn't find any files or any security passes to get back up to the director's office. But then again, Red Skull probably wasn't there anymore. Gunfire came at me from down the hallway and I dashed behind the wall next to me. I felt some bullets graze my arms and ears and noticed my heart rate had accelerated. The fun was just beginning. I grabbed a tight hold on my rifle and sprayed bullets toward the enemy. There wasn't much in the clip that I had, so I chucked the gun down there too, hitting one guy in the face. I laughed to myself and reloaded my pistol before doing anything stupid. That's when I realized that I was missing something. _I'm so stupid! I could just do this…_ I put the pistol in my pants and started a flame in my hands. I spread a fire in the middle of the hall and aimed fireballs at the guards. Some retreated at the sight and others caught on fire because they wouldn't back down.

I ran down the next hall and immediately got pulled into a room. A hand clung to my mouth as someone pressed me against the wall roughly. Her emerald green eyes stared into my soul as she flicked back her short, red, wavy hair out of her face. She pursed her lips and didn't make a sound, not even take a breath. Guards ran by the door, not even bothering to check the rooms. She whispered, "Well, I found you faster than I thought I would." Natasha Romanova let go of me and got out her pistol. She reloaded and gave me a sideways glance, "Let's go."

"There's a bunch of guards on the ground floor. That was the back up plan Hydra always had," I informed her. I put my brown hair up into a ponytail to keep it out of my face. My hazel eyes glanced her over. _Definitely the person I thought she would be._

"Who said we were going to the ground floor?" She purred as she smirked deviously.

I didn't like where this was going. I cocked my head and raised an eyebrow. "What is that supposed to mean?"

She walked out of the room, so I reluctantly followed. Gunfire came from every direction as we stepped out into the hall. She took one side, shooting at the guards. I took the other and built a thick wall of ice between me and them. I then turned around and stopped all of the bullets with my magnetic powers. The guard's eyes widened and one of them said, "That's some matrix shit right there." I merely laughed before I sent the bullets flying backwards, straight into the guards. They all fell to the ground instantly.

Natasha's eyes widened. "Clint wasn't kidding when he said you had powers."

"He doesn't know half of the things I can do," I chuckled.

The ice shattered behind us and I ducked. The ice fell like sharp icicles and broke into tiny pieces on the ground. Black Widow cried out in pain and shot at the men behind the ice. I put up thicker walls of ice before pushing her into another room. I shut the door behind us and melted the door handle to the door and the wall. That way, it would seem harder to open than a lock. I checked her wound, which was a bullet wound to the shoulder, and put pressure on the massively bleeding catastrophe. "The bullet passed through, but I need to cauterize the wound before you bleed out too much…" I searched for something metal. I ran my fingers across some of the cabinets and its contents before finding a small silver plate. "This is going to hurt." I heated up the metal.

"Bring it on." I pushed the hot metal against her skin and she gritted her teeth. Small cries of pain escaped through the tiny crevices of her white teeth, but she remained strong. I used the metal on her shoulder blade where the bullet left her body. Her black clothes were drenched in blood, but it wasn't that noticeable. When I was finished, she went to the window and pointed, "Where does this way lead?"

I set the metal down and thought for a second. I scratched my head and squinted my eyes. "Uh…the backup helicopter platforms."

Banging erupted from the door. Our heads snapped to the door and then we glanced at each other. Either we fought our way out or…

Natasha broke the window; the glass fell down to the concrete at the bottom. She brushed off her leather jacket. "Come on," she held out her hand to me as she stepped halfway outside of the window.

My stomach flopped. Heights? Not my thing. "Are you crazy? That's a twenty story fall!"

She gave me a bitch face and grunted, "You've got powers, right?"

"Yeah, but…"

The door broke behind us. Guards started to fill the room, pointing their weapons at us and calling out orders. Natasha pulled us out of the window and we started falling. My heart was beating a million times per second. I never thought I'd be free falling out of a building without a parachute. A helicopter was rising from the backup platform, right where we were supposed to land. The blades were rotating so fast, that it scared the crap out of me. "Oh, shit," she claimed and ducked her hands to cover her face. I created a portal and another one that was horizontal to the ground before we fell into it. Once we were out, I iced the sharp corner of the building. We rolled straight into it and didn't get as hurt as we would have if I hadn't. We got up slowly and groaned. She composed herself and smirked, "That was awesome."

"Where's your car?" I questioned, starting to feel a little antsy about things. I just had to get out of here. I needed to know if everyone was alright. I needed to tell them everything.

She pointed to the side of the building as she started sprinting, "Over there." She quickly got into her car and started it. It was a sleek black Lamborghini with a beige interior on the inside. I got into the passenger seat right as she took off. I leaned my head against the window and just breathed for a second. Everything had moved so fast that I hadn't had time to wrap my head around it. I killed people. Of all the things I did, I didn't kill Red Skull. How stupid was that? She spun the car onto the street with a sharp turn and focused on getting away. When the silence thickened, she tensed up. "So are those glasses a cover up, or are they real?"

I glanced up at her and almost laughed. "They're real. I'd be pretty blind without them." I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes. My body still felt a tiny bit numb from when I was tazed, which didn't leave a good feeling. It felt kind of tingly, and that was certainly unpleasant.

"Ever think about getting contacts?"

I scoffed, "Yeah, I have some. Just don't use them a lot."

Her lips curled up into a sly smile and her jade eyes flickered towards me. "Where do you live?"


	5. Chapter 5

We pulled up to my apartment building not much later. Her crazy driving skills got us there faster than I could have. She put the car in park and turned to me. "I'm giving you five minutes. We don't have a lot of time. There might be some agents on the way."

"Don't worry. I have everything packed already." I got out and rushed to my apartment. I grabbed the spare key from on top of the door frame and sprinted inside. I found my duffel bag in my closet and grabbed any remaining scattered items I could find. I glanced around and found a picture frame on my bedside table. I picked it up after I slung the duffel bag over my shoulder and smiled at it. It was a picture of Wolverine and me after we went through some intense training. That's when I flashed back in time to when we first met.

  I screamed from the irritating pain that scratched at my veins. I struggled against the restraints on my wrists and ankles, but could not successfully escape. The sweat that drenched my face and hair trickled down my side, tickling me slightly. My body was currently in a state of cooling down from the substance inside of my blood stream. It was getting to the point where I was so cold that I could barely move my limbs. My voice slowly faded and I shook with fear. The last thing I wanted was for my body to overheat again, but I knew it was about to happen in a few minutes. It was a constant change, back and forth, between the line of life and death of freezing and setting my innards on fire. My hazel orbs eyed the man who did this to me.

William Stryker, the mad military scientist that kidnapped my family, stood in front of me, observing my panicked state. His grayish beard covered the area around his mouth and his gray hair fluffed up in he front. His black oval glasses covered up his hazel eyes and some of the wrinkles that were forming on his face. He tapped a pen on his lips in between his scribbling on the notebook he had. The pain of it all stopped and suddenly my body was back to its normal temperature. I sighed in relief that the worst of it was oer and almost smiled. Smiled. Something I hadn't done in a long time. He whispered, "You're the greatest weapon man kind has against the mutants…"

The door across the room was kicked in and a man entered the room. His breathing was heavy and agitated, almost like he had a bone to pick with somebody. His breathing was so erratic that his beard appeared agitated as well; the hairs flung back and forth with the flow of his breath. The stranger's short black hair was spiked up in many different directions, giving him the rabid look of an animal from the wilderness. He gritted his teeth and the angriest expression I had ever seen covered his face. His white shirt and brown leather jacket covered most of the veins he had on his arms, for his hand had quite a few as well. His brown boots clinked against the steel floor as he walked over to Stryker.

"Logan, it's so good to see you again. Enjoying the adamantium, I see?" Stryker seemed too calm under the tension in the room. Yet, he still grinned slyly and noticed that the man did in fact enjoy it. It was his new weapon.

Logan released the claws from his knuckles. "Of course. I'm going to kill you with them. That's going to bring me the greatest joy in the world." He didn't even pay any attention to me and went straight for Stryker, swinging his claws in a punching manner. William dodged the claws and went to grab the gun that he had on the table in the corner of the room. Only, he was too slow. Logan caught up to him and threw him against the wall. Stryker cried out in shock and struggled to find something to defend himself with. In the end, he was defenseless. Logan picked him up by the throat and slammed him against the wall one more time. "I've wanted to do this for a very long time."

"No, no, no, n-"

Logan pushed the claws through Stryker's chest and twisted them. Stryker gasped and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. When his breathing died down, Logan dropped his corpse and retracted his claws into his skin. He calmed his own erratic breathing down and stood there for a moment with his head tilted back. He closed his eyes and sighed in great relief that the worst was over. He finally got his payback. After the tension died down, he looked around and locked eyes with me.

I appeared frightened, but at the same time, thankful that Stryker was dead. I didn't know whether it was fear in my eyes or great gratitude to this Logan character. He seemed like a good guy, after all. He killed the bad guy. Wasn't that what superheroes did? Whatever he was, he was different. Like how I was suddenly different because of these tests.

The light in Logan's eyes faded away and he rushed towards me. "Oh, kid, what has he done to you?" He set me free of my restraints and held me up to look straight into my hazel eyes.

Tears came to my eyes and blurred my vision. I hugged Logan, even though I didn't know him, and cried my heart out. Tears ran down my cheeks and onto his leather jacket, but he didn't seem to care. I cried out in between sobs, "He tested on me…And it worked…He…He killed my parents…"

Logan hugged back and rubbed my back gently. It was soothing. His action had reminded me of when my mother used to do that to me when I was upset. "Don't worry, kid. I'll take care of you." He stopped and asked, "How old are you, anyway?"

I leaned back and wiped my own tears away. "Eight…My name's Lilly Parker."

"Just call me Logan. It will be alright." His brown eyes seemed gentle and caring. He set his hands on mine and set me down. When he touched me, I screamed and tiny claws came out of my hands, similar to his, and went through his stomach. I panicked and kept screaming, mostly from shock. Logan muffled a small cry and his voice became gentle. "Kid, it's okay. Calm down."

"I'm sorry. I…I don't know how to stop…" My heart was racing a million miles a minute and blood coursed through my veins like cars on a speedway.

"Breathe, Lilly. Relax." His tone had calmed me down and the claws retracted. I gazed into his brown eyes with fear as tears fell like rain. His skin healed instantly and I cocked my head. "It's going to be alright," he stated and picked me up. I was so fragile that he had to handle me like a delicate glass. Logan walked over to the plans scrawled over the table and skimmed over them. His breathing hitched and he straightened up. "You better not turn dark side on me because what you have just become wiped out every mutant on the planet in another universe…"

I shook in his grasp and the sobbing started back up. I managed to say in between sobs, "I just wanna leave…I don't want to be evil. I just don't…"

That's when he took me to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. I was enrolled there and taken in like a long lost family member. It took some getting used to, at first, like when I met the adults for the first time. I shook one of the student's, this kid named Bobby, hand and froze it quickly afterwards. I backed away and immediately apologized. That's when Logan spoke up about my situation. I had become like the sentinels he had once known, but in human form. That meant I had more control and it was my choice to decide what side I would play my cards on. Jean Grey had given me some gloves, and I shook everyone else's hands. I talked with Professor Xavier, whom I had grown very close to, and agreed with him to take classes there. Logan told him that he would train me to fight and did so later on. He became a fatherly figure to me and would take me out on his motorcycle every once in a while to go to the movies or get some fresh air.

When I was old enough, I left to do bigger things in life. I did some odd jobs here and there, but I never once used my powers for evil. I didn't want to become the thing that William Stryker had wanted me to be. A few years later, I joined Hydra, in hopes of taking it down from the inside. They were number one on the villain map, so why not give it a try?

I came back to reality and heard Natasha honking the car horn outside. I grabbed my keys, left the light on, and ran out of there.


	6. Chapter 6

Peter grinned from ear to ear as we pulled into the hidden garage. He leaned up against the closed door that lead to the rest of the place. The Avengers were currently staying at one of Stark's towers in secret. The tower was originally for research on new weapons, but Tony had other plans. He wanted only his most trusted scientists to stay at the tower and help him find and figure out other worldly things, along with anything else the Avengers needed. The Avengers lived on the floor underneath the penthouse, while Tony, of course, lived in the penthouse. He had Pepper run the other tower and the company. That way, she was always safe from danger if the Avengers' tower was under attack.

I got out of the car with my stuff and smiled. "I thought I said don't look for me."

He raised his eyebrows and said, "I personally wasn't supposed to. Natasha went looking for you."

I scoffed and pushed him playfully. "You're such a smartass."

"But I'm _your_ smartass cousin," he pointed out and lead the way to the elevator. He pushed the button to go to the eighteenth floor. "I already have a room for you that's all set up."

I nodded and motioned to Natasha. "Thanks for letting me stay here. I know it's difficult already with Peter around." Peter scoffed and chuckled. "I really appreciate it."

"It's not a problem," she replied. She stood there checking her wound to see if it was still bleeding the tiniest bit. "We always have room for more people with goals like us."

I felt as welcomed there as I did at Xavier's school. I counted that as a good thing. I had a home where I could be with some family and do things for the greater good. I knew there wouldn't be a welcoming wagon like there was with Logan's family, but I would just have to get used to it. I was in hostile territory for some of these people. I just had to figure out which. We walked into the living room, which was extremely nice. Gray tile covered the floors and the walls were a creamy white. Paintings of different varieties hung on the walls. A pinball machine was set in the corner behind the couch and television. Some game systems were set up next to the television. Bookshelves of books and movies lined one wall and a beverage machine leaned against the remaining wall. It seemed like a relaxation haven.

Clint Barton spotted us immediately when we walked into the living room. He jumped off the couch and crossed his arms, like he was defending his territory. His jaw clenched and his face nearly turned red in seconds. "Why in the hell is she here?"

"She's been compromised. She has nowhere to stay," Peter explained shortly. He grabbed my duffel bag and started to walk off until Barton spoke again.

"She can stay somewhere else." He tilted his head a bit and his eyes narrowed on me. This was starting to cause a big scene, so everyone else in the living room turned to me. Tony, Steve, and Bruce turned their heads to watch the scene unfold.

I crossed my arms to mimic Barton. "Peter's my cousin and I have the right to see him. He said he was taking me in until I can get on my own feet and somewhere safe. It's a free country, you know."

"Yeah, I fought tooth and nail to keep it a free country," Steve intervened on the conversation. His cold blue eyes stared right through me when we locked gazes. "And well, I don't think I'm comfortable with a double agent being here. For all we know, you could double cross us too."

I scoffed and glared at him. "Who would I give my information to? The people that tried to cut me up? Yeah, right. I got all that intel for you guys, and what, are you not grateful for it? Without me, you would be unprepared for this war."

Bruce spoke up after he propped up his elbows on his knees. "Steve has a point. We don't even know what you are. I-"

Peter raised his hand midway into the air to stop him from saying anymore. He knit his eyebrows together and stated, "Does she really need to explain? I've finally gotten her back. I have a family member that I won't put into danger. That's the best thing that has happened to me since…" He trailed off and choked on a breath.

Everything went silent and all I could do was look at the pity they held in their eyes. They had so much respect for Peter, all because he was a kid. All because he lost his girlfriend some time ago. They might have not known anything about me, but they were sure going to. I knew they wouldn't let me stay there without me telling them. "You know what? Fine. I'll tell you." I got closer to Barton and talked directly to him. Well, more like spat at him. "My family and I were kidnapped August 22, 1996. You wanna know why? William Stryker needed test subjects for his project. A project where we would become the most lethal beings in the universe. That is…if it were to succeed." I looked at Steve dead in the eye. "My parents…well. Let's just say they didn't make it. Then, he tested on me. The audacity of this guy really astonished me. What monster would test on an eight year old girl?" I held back the tears from the memory and bit the inside of my lip. I couldn't break. Not in front of them. "I sat through the longest excruciating day of my life as this…substance made my body its new home. It burned hotter than anything I've ever felt before and then had periods of cool down where my body would almost go into shock from frostbite. It was constantly back and forth, back and forth until it stabilized. That's when someone came to my rescue." I turned back to Barton, but backed away a little bit. "But you know what? Sometimes, I wish they hadn't. I wasn't going to comply to Stryker's demands, so he'd have to kill me, even if the test succeeded. I didn't want to start a new life as something I didn't know or couldn't control. I was scared to even be around people. I was eight! Now…now I can mimic any mutant's power after I touch them. I don't know if that power extends to other beings or not, but it's what I am." I glanced around at all of the men in front of me. My heart ached and I felt like I was going to break down. I hadn't fully explained anything since the incident happened. "And if you don't like it? Fine. I'll leave. You're going to regret it if I do."

All of the men stared at me in awed silence. No one knew what to say, and the atmosphere was unclear of what they would say next. Tony cleared his throat and got off his seat. "Well…Guess that solves that mystery." He used his hands to talk and raised them up in the air, "Anyone up for a drink?"

I looked at him square in the eye and calmed down. The gentleness came back and I declared, "I could really use one right now."

Stark pushed his way out of the living room and walked down the hallway. I followed him and tried to carry myself with confidence. I just released the biggest secret ever. I didn't know how to feel about it. My eyes searched around as I attempted to take in the scenery around me. The hallway's flooring was tan tile and the wallpaper was a medium gray shade. A giant window looking out onto the city was at the end of the long hall, and I was sure the rooms here were where the Avengers stayed. Tony turned to a room on the right and opened the door. A room full of Metallica, Black Sabbath, and ACDC posters hung on the walls. There was a long bar in the back of the room on the plush brown carpet. A giant stereo and karaoke machine leaned up against the opposite and a black leather couch was perpendicular to that. Tony went behind the bar and poured some drinks together. "So. Let me see what you can do."

I narrowed my eyes at him and sat on one of the barstools. "Well, Mr. Bossy, I can only do a limited amount of things." I grabbed one of the knives and handed it to him. "Cut my arm," I ordered.

He took the knife, looked me in the eye, and cut my arm horizontally. Tony set the knife down in the sink attached to the wall and watched my skin heal itself. His mouth hung agape and immediately shut it after he glanced back up at me. The words wouldn't make it out of his mouth until he forced them to, "Do you know what this could do for the world?"

I took my drink and swished it around in front of my face. I inhaled the smell so my lungs would get used to it and stared Tony directly in the eye. "Nothing, Mr. Stark. If this were to get out into the world…It would be nearly impossible to kill people. People would use it against each other. The world would become overpopulated. We would literally kill ourselves trying to live on this planet with a power like this." I drank a little bit, cringed from the sting, and set it back down. "It needs ice." I froze the liquid just a tad and watched ice cubes float up to the top.

Tony's eyes lit up. He cleared his throat, "And you can freeze things?"

"And so much more…" I licked my lips and thought for a moment before I added, "Let's talk about you, Stark." I set the glass down and folded my arms on the bar counter. I needed a shift change of conversation for once. "Where's Pepper?"

He cocked his head and asked, "How do you know about Pepper?" He shifted uneasily in his stance and drank some of his drink.

I tapped some of my fingers against the marble. I sighed and looked into his eyes with a saddened expression. "Hydra knows about her. They've known for a while."

"Hydra…Last time I remember anything about Hydra, it was that they were useless. Taking down S.H.I.E.L.D.? That took decades. If they're going to do anything to her, I think I'll be the first to know." He gulped down the last of the alcohol and slammed his glass down on the bar.

I grinned and nodded. "You'll definitely be the first to know. I know how their system is laid out, and I've got a username for you. You just need to do the hard part and find the password to go with it."

"Hand it over and I'll have Jarvis working on it right away," he poured scotch into his glass and set it down. "Is there a way for you to heal other people?"

I scrunched up my eyebrows and my hazel eyes nearly glazed over. "Back on this?" He nodded. I wrote the username on a napkin and slid it to him. "No, I can't. I haven't found a way."

"Can you turn into a big green monster like Banner?" A smile played on his lips in the most playful way. He adjusted his shirt, revealing a bright blue light radiating from underneath it. The thing that was keeping him alive was beautiful to witness in person.

I chuckled and stole his glass. I scrunched my nose to fix my glasses. "No. That wouldn't be as fun as I think it would be." My smile faded and I glimpsed up at Tony. "How is Banner with that, anyway?"

"He's uh…" Tony eyed me for taking his drink and poured another one, "He's doing the best he can with it."

I chugged the whole drink and put it down. "So, why are all the Avengers cooped up in one tower? I thought Peter said you all split up."

Tony rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at me in the corner of his eye. "Yeah…We did. Natasha and Clint got attacked the same night you did. They called to notify me, and Bruce and I left where we were staying. Pepper had to be taken to another tower just in case there would be an attack. We all met up here. The Avengers' Tower." He began to tap his fingers against the countertop. "I built this tower as a cover. It's a laboratory, but mainly one for our special use."

The conversation was winding down. I knew I could either go to my new room and stay there or open up to Tony more. There wasn't anything else to do. Half of the team already distrusted me. "I know it's going to be hard to trust me, Tony, but I swear I will stick with you guys. The…the only place I have to go back to is a school. I love everyone there, but I don't know if I could just sit around all day when I could be here helping you." I put my head in my hands and rubbed my eyes. I could feel my heart falling faster. _Half of them don't like me. I didn't realize I could be kicked out of here in no time at all…_ I pondered. "Just give me a chance."

"Anyone that throws themselves over their loved ones to protect them in a crisis is good enough to bunk with the Avengers," he clinked his glass against mine and smiled genuinely. "I'm sure some of the others will think the same." Tony pointed a finger at me and his eyes formed slits, "Now, about those powers…"


	7. Chapter 7

Peter directed me on where to go. His hands were molded onto my shoulders and guided me as I walked blindfolded. He stopped me in my tracks and stood there for a second. Sounds of traffic and car horns lead its way into my ears as I inhaled the sweet scent of freshly baked goods. I reached out in front of me, but didn't find anything to grab onto. "I swear, Peter, if we're on a ledge, I'll murder you," I stated fiercely.

"What?" He asked in a high pitched voice. "Lilly, I would never do that," he scoffed. Peter lifted one of his hands from my shoulder and struck it against his chest. "It hurts that you think I would do that to you… _Again_."

I impatiently waved my arms around. "Can I take the blindfold off?"

Peter put pressure on my shoulders. "Sit down first. You might feel better about this."

He helped me sit down on the cement and my legs dangled over the ledge. "Peter," I declared when he let go of me. I had a great fear of heights, and after the fiasco with Black Widow, I was even more terrified. I heard a noise, then the blindfold was taken from my face. The view I saw in the next few seconds was breathtaking. The bright city lights of New York were lit up against the dark sky full of twinkling stars. I glanced down and tightened my hold on the ledge. The cars below seemed like toys and the people scurrying in the streets appeared like working ants. "It's beautiful…"

Peter chuckled and sat down next to me. He clasped his hands together in his lap and sat cross legged. "I used to take Gwen here to hang out. She would love to watch the city come alive after sunset and would always say it was amazing…" He trailed off and gazed out onto the city.

A slight breeze picked up and brushed through my hair. I set my hazel eyes on Peter and sighed. I was quiet for a moment until I asked, "What happened after I went missing?"

He dragged his hands down his face and his brown eyes glanced at me. His voice cracked a bit, "Not a lot happened…I grew up. It…" he stopped to inhale, "It sucked, basically. I was shy, didn't have a lot of friends. I was the bookworm of the class and excelled in the sciences. I was bit by a radioactive spider. Uncle Ben was shot and killed…Then Gwen died." Peter rubbed his hands together and patted his legs. "But hey…I'm Spiderman. Guess I've got to learn how to handle things. Right?"

I set my head on his shoulder and didn't take my eyes off of the magnificent lights. My heart hurt for him. All those things I wasn't there for impacted him in ways I would never know. I wasn't there for him. I should have gone to him, but I didn't know where to start. I had to learn how to control my powers…Then again, my life had spiraled too. Being in Peter's life would only have made it worse. "Peter, it's only natural to feel the way you do. Just because you’re a superhero doesn't mean your tough exterior," I poked at his chest, which surprised him, "will keep everything out. You have time to grieve. Use it to your advantage. Don't bottle it up. It'll only make things worse."

"Yeah…" he sighed and cleared his throat, "I know."

I couldn't help myself but to apologize, "I'm sorry for not being there for you."

"You had your own problems. I understand."

I played with my hands for a bit and felt a cold chill in the air. The breeze brushed my cheeks, making them turn pink from the blood circulation. A silence that lasted a few minutes hung in the air, and all I could think about was how much Steve and Barton hated my guts. Tony seemed to like me and Natasha related to me instantly. Thor, haven't met him officially yet, but he seemed like a nice guy. Bruce I wasn't too sure about. "Why are Steve and Barton so against me?" I questioned quietly.

Peter bit his lip and thought for a moment before answering. "Loki had Barton in a trance once. He's very hesitant with new people who have powe-"

I interjected, "You can say it. I'm a mutant and I'm proud."

He nodded and continued, "And Steve? He doesn't like newcomers. It's hard to trust people, you know?" He chuckled, "It took him a while to warm up to me." Peter got up and helped me up. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" I asked as I got off the ledge as fast as I could. Heights man, you either love 'em, or you hate 'em.

He started to head for the stairs. "We're going to get a wake up call for Tony and Steve."

 

We walked out of the elevator and went towards Tony Stark's lab. Steve's voice could be heard from the hallway, but he sounded utterly depressed. Peter stopped me before we entered the room. Steve kept talking, "I wish things could be different. Peggy…she's so old. She hardly remembers anything after five minutes."

"It's called Alzheimer's," Tony corrected him. He set something down and it clanked against the table.

Steve paced around the room. " Gesundheit," he responded. "It's just difficult to think that we were nearly the same age, and now…"

Tony cut in, "She's three times your age, married, and has kids that have kids?"

I could feel Steve's glazed over look he was giving Tony at the moment. That's how strong it was. "Yeah, that," he answered with a dead tone. "I just…I don't know if I can move on from a woman like her."

Peter leaned over close to my ear and whispered, "He doesn't talk about Peggy when he's around us."

I replied quietly, trying to make sure I didn't spill the hot coffee in my hand. "They must have a great bond."

There was a short silence and Peter motioned me to go into the room. He followed me into the lab and I handed the second coffee in my hand to Tony. He gladly took it and drank some of it instantly. He smiled at me kindly and gestured to his suit, "Do you want to try out my newest suit I've been working on?"

Peter's eyes widened as he handed Steve his coffee. He scoffed, "I never get that option!"

I raised an eyebrow out of sheer curiosity. Tony urged me on, "Come on, it'll be fun."

I set my hands on the table in front of me. "What are you up to, Stark?"

He lifted his hands and backed up a bit. His brown eyes were directed onto me as he smirked slightly. "Nothing. Just giving someone a test drive of my newest suit."

I glared at him and lowered my head. "So, I'm test driving it because you don't want to get hurt if it malfunctions?"

Tony clapped his hands and pointed his index fingers at me like a gun, "You got it. Last time it got a little too tight in there for me, along with a few minor things." He adjusted his pants.

Steve chuckled and said, "She's not going to do it, Tony. She's not going to take a risk."

Anger shot up inside of me and I jumped to the opportunity, "Where do we start?" I wasn’t going to let Captain America think I wasn't going to take risks. That's a terrible characteristic. I lived life to the fullest. I was usually the leader of my one man pack. He was _not_ going to throw me off of my groove.

Tony gestured to the silver suit in the corner. "Get close to it and Jarvis should do the rest. Take it slow and try not to blow anything up."

I scowled at him for a second before heading over to the suit. The silver suit reminded me of Piotr Rasputin, or Colossus, when he was in his strong, metallic form. A tinge of sadness flowed through me upon remembering all of my family back home. I felt like I haven't talked to them in ages.

"Come on, we don't have all day," Peter remarked.

"If I break it, I'm not going to be held accountable," I declared and stood next to the suit. The suit instantly formed an exoskeleton around me and fit a little too snug for my liking. "I can see what you mean, Stark. It is tight in here. But then again, I have a chest and you don't," I pointed out.

After everything was done, a light blinked in front of my eyes. "Hello, Ms. Parker," Jarvis greeted me as his accented voice flowed into my ears. "We're just going to run a few tests, if you don't mind."

"Walk me through this, please," I pleaded. I didn't want to act stupid in front of the guys. That'd be a terrible thing to do, and that's coming from somebody who doesn't get embarrassed easily.

"Put both of your hands to your sides and I'll do the rest," he ordered.

I complied. Soon enough, I was hovering above the ground. I wobbled a bit, for I wasn't used to flying, but I got the hang of things. I chuckled and felt like a baby bird first learning how to fly, but the feeling didn't last long. My feet met the ground and I came up with my next task: seeing how the fighting worked. I punched and kicked the air, sometimes at slow speeds, and at others, lightning fast. It all just depended on the type of effort I put in to move the suit. "I could get used to this," I stated with a smile.

Tony scoffed, "Maybe in some parallel universe I'd let you."

By now, I was out of breath and couldn't inhale correctly. The air within the suit was thick with carbon dioxide and the oxygen limit was low. "Jarvis?" I huffed as I clutched the suit's chest.

"Sir, something's wrong with the suit. The oxygen levels are falling," Jarvis reported over the speaker. His voice seemed a bit distressed.

I tried to eject myself out of the suit, but I didn't know how. I fell to my knees and coughed loudly. Tony ran over to me and set his hand on the suit's back. "Jarvis, get her out."

"I'm trying, sir, but the mechanism locked up."

I gasped for air and froze the gauntlets until I could break them off. Then, I proceeded to do the same thing to the helmet. Once I could get fresh air, I inhaled and nearly choked on my spit as I took in sharp breaths. My glasses fell off of my face and onto the floor, and soon enough, pieces of the suit began to fall next to it. "I'm going…to kill…you, Stark," I threatened him. I set both hands on the floor to hold me up.

"There' already a long line for that." His lips formed a tight line and he thought for a moment. Tony admitted, "Hey, if I was in that situation, I could've passed out or died. You basically saved my life from a mishap like that."

I used a chair to pull myself up and set my head in my hands. "Yeah, you're welcome." I dragged my hands down my face and sighed. "Remind me to never trust you, Stark."

"If you need to be reminded, then your brain doesn't function very well," Steve remarked as he leaned against the countertop. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave me a dead look.

I looked at him dead in the eye and questioned, "When did you start being so rude? I thought that you were a gentleman."

"Yeah, well, I don't trust you and I certainly don't like you. I'm only allowing you to stay here because of Peter." He shot back, "You don't know me at all, Parker."

I tilted my head to the side and smiled forcefully, "It's Lilly."

He simply rolled his blue eyes. "Oh, and if you don't like my attitude, you can leave."

A laugh escaped my throat. I stepped towards him. "I'm not going to leave. You will have to fight me."

Steve's eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened. He set his arms down to his sides and got up in my face. His breath smelled like salad dressing and his eyes reeked of determination. "I'll win."

"Come on," I encouraged him. "Do it. I'm not afraid to hit an old man."

Tony and Peter backed away instantly after almost gasping. They watched idly from the sidelines as the two stood in the center of the lab. Steve exhaled and threw the first punch, which winded me. His fist flew through the air, but I caught it and twisted it backwards. He cried out in pain, but quickly knocked me off of my feet. I hit the cold, white tile and looked at the reflection. Steve aimed to kick me while I was down, and I instantly rolled over to make him miss. I used my legs to bring him down, making him hit his head on the tile. He instantly recovered; Steve's elbow smacked directly down onto my knee. A jolt of pain rushed up my leg, which made me react by punching him in the face. He got on top of me, only to have me throw him off with all of my might. Steve slammed into the counter and the force shook the glass on top of it. He cringed as blood dripped down from his puffy lip. Steve instantly pounced on me. I knew I couldn’t use any powers on him. That would be considered cheating. I struggled against him as he took hold of my hands and pinned them to the ground.

His face was inches from mine now; Steve's bright blue eyes gazed into mine with a playful, know-it-all look. "Maybe next time you'll win," he smirked slyly.

I used all of the force I had to flip us over and pin him down to the ground as he had done to me. I chuckled to myself as his muscles tensed up against my body's touch. I noticed this instant tension and got closer to him. "We're an equal match, Rogers." I got off of him and stepped towards Peter.

Steve scoffed as he stood up and brushed himself off, "You're only an equal match for me because you have powers."

I rolled my eyes. _Seriously, what did this guy not get about us?_ "You're a super soldier. You have powers too. I simply duplicated your powers since I touched you. My strength is equal to yours, as long as I know how to use it."

Steve muttered something under his breath as he walked out of the room. "Well, I guess that concludes the show for tonight," Tony stated and turned off the lights in the lab. Peter and I followed him out and headed towards our bedrooms.


	8. Chapter 8

I rushed into Tony's suite upstairs and panicked, "Why the urgent message?" He had sent a text message a few minutes ago in all caps saying I needed to get upstairs pronto.

"Aw, you rushed up here for me? That's sweet," he joked as he took a sip from his alcoholic drink. He motioned for me to sit next to him.

The dark marble flooring reflected the sunlight coming in from the giant windows that made up the whole front wall. The cream colored walls off balanced the dark flooring and it matched the big bar in the corner. Two sleek black couches were positioned in front of a television and next to a fireplace, the perfect place for him and Pepper to have Saturday night dates. The air smelled of a mixture of pine and alcohol, which tickled my nose. I sat down on the couch and eyed him. "You said it was urgent."

"I said you need to get here quickly, not that it was urgent," he pointed out.

He had a point. Tony always had a point.

I huffed as he stood up in front of me. His fingers tapped against his tablet before he blew up the screen out into the air, making whatever was on the screen project before our eyes. He minimized some tabs and zoomed in on profiles, key words, documents, and more. "Jarvis finished the hacking of the account you gave us." He pushed away some of the files on screen to make room for the important things. He crossed his arms and shifted his weight to one of his feet. "Jarvis, can you copy everything?"

I skimmed over a lot of the information as it as being downloaded. I saw key words, like "super soldier," "blood," "tests," "invincibility," and more. _Why doesn't Hydra just give up on the super soldier idea? It's never going to work._ I scrunched up my nose, "Do you really think they can do this?"

Tony knit his eyebrows together. His brown eyes glanced over the files and asked, "What? Invincible super soldiers?" He chuckled. "There's no way that the scientists there are that smart. I mean, they're just looking to make them invincible. Everyone has a weakness, even you, cupcake," he smiled at me.

"Don't call me that," I stated in a serious tone. If he wanted to give me a nickname, it could have been way better than cupcake. I ran my fingers through my hair. If Hydra were to finish this project, they could single handedly take out everyone on the planet in days. Now _that_ was stress inducing. "Why do they need it?"

Banner spoke up from the corner of the room. He was reading the newspaper and drank the coffee next to him. "For making their soldiers invincible."

Tony rolled his eyes and shot him a glare. "Thank you, Captain Obvious. Which army, exactly?"

I scratched my head and got up to get a closer look at the files. I leaned over the table and used my hands to hold me up. "Red Skull only has Hydra. He mentioned that someone else wanted to take over the world, but didn't specify who…"

"Wait, hold on," Bruce put up his hands to stop me. He raised his eyebrows and scrunched his forehead. "I thought Red Skull was gone."

I nodded and declared, "He was. Now, he's back. I don't know how. I don't know when. All I know is that he assumed his position as director of Hydra." My stomach churned at the thought of it. _He's going to kill all of us…He's going to pick the weakest ones off first, then make his way up to Rogers…_ I thought in despair. I winced and looked away from the screen.

"Wait, all you're concerned about is that Red Skull is back? Not that some other villain, which literally could be anyone out to get us, is going to try to destroy everything in their path?" Tony questioned Bruce. He fully turned his body to him and cocked his head. "That's very selective hearing, Bruce, especially from you."

"Coming from the man who has the most selective hearing of the whole human race," Banner shot back with a playful grin.

I rubbed my hands against my temples in frustration. I hadn't fully slept in days. I would take thirty minute naps, but other than that, my entire being depended on coffee and sugar to get me through the day. With everything happening and what could potentially happen in the future, I had to keep my eyes open. "What army?" I brought the conversation back up. I didn't want them to get too off track.

"I'm sure they have one. They could use the agents. Or another party joined their act of mischief." He set the paper down and stood up. He walked over to Tony and pointed out a few things in the files. "Look. They aren't trying to use the whole super soldier serum. They just need to find the key for the invincibility creation. After they figure out what they need, the serum is useless." Bruce took off his glasses and hung them on his purple shirt. "Which is why I say that they already have an army that's highly trained."

"Sir," Jarvis cut into the conversation, "I can locate where the lab they're testing the substance in, if you want."

Tony nodded in approval. "Go ahead, Jarvis. You don't need my permission." He noticed me leaving to the elevator and pondered, "Where are you going?"

"To tell the others," I answered simply.

After informing the others, Steve shot up from his seat. His anger meter shot through the roof in an instant. "That is the _first_ thing you should have told us!"

I glared at him. Of course he was angry. He hasn't liked me from the start. "You know what? You two," I pointed at him and Barton, "were being hostile. How was I supposed to tell you yesterday when you were trying to get me kicked out?" I waited for them to give me a response, but they just stared at me blank-faced. "Exactly. You have _no_ reason to be angry with me right now."

Barton was about to say something when Steve stopped him. It looked like it took all of the energy in the world to do so, for he wanted to argue along with him, but didn't. "She's right. We don't have a reason. She told us what we wanted to know yesterday. It was a lot of information to absorb, and her leaving right after gave us time to let it sink in." Steve's blue eyes met hers in an almost caring manner, "Next time, just tell us."

"Steve Rogers actually listened to me for once?" I looked around the room in shock. Everyone was staring at us in an uncomfortable fashion, just itching to break up a fight. "That's nice of you, Rogers," I acknowledged.

"Don't get used to it," he warned and sat back down. Barton left the room and Natasha followed his lead. Tony and Bruce went back to Tony's place for a couple drinks and some studying on whatever they were going to work on together. Which left Peter, Steve and I. "I still don't trust you," Steve stated blatantly.

My mind raced with thoughts. _He actually defended me. The guy that hates my guts defended me._ I grinned from ear-to-ear and sat down next to Steve. My heart thumped against my chest as I turned to look at him. "Am I growing on you, Rogers?" I asked sweetly. I twirled my hair on my finger in amusement.

A blush rose on Steve's cheeks. "Definitely not." He fidgeted with his hands and peered around the room. His body tensed up, which made his muscles bulge just a bit. Now _that_ view from where I was sitting made my night.

"Is…is Steve Rogers blushing?" Peter questioned in near shock. He perched himself on top of the arm of a chair and almost laughed at Steve's agitated state. Peter's eyes looked at me as he made hinted gestures.

I almost burst out laughing. I shook my head wildly and said, "No. That's impossible." I had just met the guy. Hell, I knew about him for years, but he doesn't know anything about me. And Peter is trying to hook us up? Yeah right. That's the funniest thing on the planet. I ruffled Steve's blonde hair a bit and couldn't wipe the grin from my face. "You know, you're slightly adorable when you're in denial."

Steve pushed my hand away and stood up. He pointed his finger at me as he locked his jaw in place in anger. His ocean eyes pierced right through my soul. "You're worse than Stark and Parker combined. You have no boundaries, no manners, and apparently, no common sense." He turned his head slightly like he wanted to walk away, but he forced himself to stay.

I raised an eyebrow. With the way the light shined through my glasses, it appeared that Steve was glowing. I folded my arms and crossed my legs in an attempt to stay cool. I could handle him. "I have boundaries. I just tend to cross them from time to time to set new ones. No manners? Have you seen Stark? Romanov? Barton? None of them have manners. Peter hardly has any manners, yet you still don't call him out on it."

"Hey!" Peter exclaimed in defense. He thought about it for a second and then shrugged. "You're right."

My hazel eyes flickered back to Steve. I licked the front of my teeth and clicked my tongue before answering him again. "Oh, and common sense. I've got loads of it. It's usually my gut instinct. And you know what my gut is telling me right now?"

Steve could sense he was going to regret asking. It was written all over his face. He declared in a dead tone, "And what is that, exactly?"

I pondered for a second. _Should I tell him? Or should I let the suspense kill him? Will it even bother him? Gah!_ I checked him out once over and stood up. I didn't meet his height. He had a few inches over me, which wasn't all that bad. I pushed my finger onto his hard chest. "You're just intimidated by me." I paused, waited for a reaction, but never got one. "The funny part is, is that you like being intimidated."

Steve gave me a hard, cold stone expression. His eyes lit up not only in anger, but in sheer excitement. "Intimidated by you? Don't be so narcissistic."

"The only one who's really narcissistic here is Tony. I think you know that," I shot back. By this time, I stopped breathing because of how close I was. I had never been that close to a guy I hadn't considered doing later that night. It seemed almost awkward to be right there, breathing the sweet smell of his fragrance. Fresh air, a meadow of flowers, the lake on a dewy morning, the whole mixture ironically would be like freedom, if that had a smell.

Something in his eyes softened at that moment and his jaw relaxed. "Of course I do…because I don't know you enough to say that." He took one last look at me and walked out of the room.

I exhaled the breath I was holding and sat down. A thick silence filled the room. I closed my eyes for a few seconds to calm my breathing and my rapid heart rate; then, I focused on Peter. He messed up his short brown hair to distract himself from the silence and he huffed. "Don't let him bother you. He has his freedom in a knot sometimes."

"That is the lamest joke I have ever heard," I snorted and threw a small couch pillow at him. He deflected it and made it fly into the table lamp. It fell and crashed on the ground. Our eyes widened at the same time, and, within seconds, we sprinted out of the room and left.


	9. Chapter 9

"God, make it stop!" I yelled and stomped into Tony's lab. A mental hammer shattered my skull little by little, giving me the worst headache ever. _Of all the things he could do, he decides to do this…_ I contemplated. Peter followed me in and continued to sing the wretched, voice-cracked song. My ears ached and felt like they were going to bleed.

Tony overheard Peter's vocals, immediately dropped what he was doing, and pointed at him. "Shut your whore mouth, Peter," he raised his voice sternly. "The only music allowed here is mine." Peter ignored his command and burst out into a new, more obnoxious song. Tony snapped his fingers as he glared at my cousin. A song by ACDC blasted out the speakers of the room. It drowned Peter out, but he still attempted to compete against it.

Peter gave up after a minute. He used his hand to signal to cut the music and mouthed, "I'm done."

When Tony shut the music off, I collapsed halfway onto the table in front of me. My brown hair fell around my face, and I tried to blow it away. "I don't know if that made my headache worse or not, but thank you."

"Always happy to fight against Peter," he remarked and threw a playful glance at Peter. Tony chuckled and continued working on his project.

Peter snorted, "Whatever. Why are you being so nice to my cousin?" He leaned against one of the counters and put his hand on his chin. His brown eyes focused on Tony suspiciously for a minute or so.

I got up and used my hands to prop myself up on the table, "You just can't handle the fact that some people actually like me." I smiled at him through my pain and watched his fingers curl up in frustration.

"You two fight like children," Steve commented from the corner of the room. He was looking at all of the lab tech that Tony had and had a little kid expression of how he wanted to touch everything.

 _Really? He went there?_ I pondered and shot back, "You fight with me all of the time." There was no way he could see himself as innocent out of this whole thing. He might be Captain America, but he sure does know when to pick a fight.

"She does have a point," Tony backed me up. He used a screw driver to fix some of the loose screws within the contraption he was working on.

When Steve stayed silent, I asked Tony, "What are you building?" I set my chin in my hands and glanced from him down to the flattened metal on the table.

"I'm working on a new suit." He straightened everything out and stretched. "I don't usually enjoy being bothered, so if you two could, you know, get out of here, that'd be great." Tony's brown eyes glanced up at mine and sent a knowing look. He would never get the great bothersome Peter out of here if I didn't leave, so I knew I had to take the hint.

"Fine, but I will bug you later," I replied and grabbed Peter by the arm. Steve shot a glare at me before we left the lab, which left a bad feeling in my gut. _If he hates me now, what's he going to be like out on the battlefield? Will he have my back?_

"Ow, hey, not so hard!" Peter exclaimed. He tugged his arm away from me and massaged the spot. "You gained kung fu grip all of a sudden. What were you thinking about?"

I shook my head and huffed, "Nothing, Peter." I brushed my hair back and furrowed my brow. "I have to go to my room. I'll watch the show with you in a minute." Peter nodded and left me to walk down the hallway by myself. Upon entering my room, I put my cell phone on the charger. Peter was using it to play music and show me 'hilarious' videos. Some were just seriously ridiculous and only a child like Peter would laugh. I shut my door and walked passed Natasha's room. I happened to glance in to see her reloading a pistol and placing it underneath her pillow. I knit my eyebrows together and backed up into her room from the hall. I lifted my finger and stated, "Remind me to not go into your room at night."

Natasha laughed with a wide smile on her face. "You can never be too sure on who's in the building." She swung her legs onto the bed and laid down.

"You just don't want Peter or Barton to go through your stuff at night," I remarked and rolled my eyes. Don't get me wrong, Natasha was the most kick ass person I had ever met, but knowing when she was telling the full truth was the difficult thing about her. I had seen all of the videos, comments, pictures, and even her file. Natasha trained to be a pro at lying since she could even talk.

She patted the bed and let me sit down next to her. Natasha's short red hair was straightened today and her green eyes narrowed with a hint of playful innocence. "It's not Barton I'm worried about."

I cocked my head slightly and instantly caught onto something. My lips curled up into a sly smirk and my hazel eyes glistened. I sat down and put all of my attention onto her. "Is there something going on between you and Barton?"

"What? No, of course not," Tasha waved my comment off with her hand. She bit her lip after a short silence kicked in, leaving so many questions hanging in the air. Her fingers danced along the bed sheets, trying to distract herself with anything, but I could see she was failing. Her green grass eyes locked on mine and sighed. "I don't know how to do this whole open feelings thing that girls do, so don't be disappointed."

"You want to open up to me?" I asked, flabbergasted. I put my hand to my heart to make sure she hadn't stabbed it in the next second from the surprise attack she just laid on me. This was a first, but maybe after losing so much, she had to build the foundation of her new life on something. All her secrets had come out after the newfound Hydra had been taken down along with S.H.I.E.L.D. When I noticed she nodded, I added, "Just…tell me what you think and feel about him."

She pondered for a moment and gazed off into her room, even though she was not staring at anything in particular. "He…uh…he's really a sweet guy. Really kind once you get to know him."

 _Really? Can't wait to see that side of him._ I thought, and nodded to indicate I was still listening.

"I just…I don't know. I've liked other men before, but something about Clint makes me remember who I am. And I think that's pretty damn special."

"Have you told him this?" I interrogated in the nicest tone I could. I wanted to know more, so I had to pry for the answers.

She shook her head and lifted the corners of her mouth just a bit. "I'm not really the type to go out there and express my innermost feelings. I'm blunt about things, but not when it comes to me."

Adrenaline shot through my body in a second from excitement. I nearly bounced off of the bed. "I can tell him for you!"

She put her hands on my shoulders to keep me down. "No. No one is telling him my feelings except for me." Her stern tone floated into my ears and made me rethink my actions. Her eyes pleaded me not to do anything stupid.

"Fine," I stated in disappointment as I calmed down. "But I _can_ try to set you guys up. Right? Thanks!" I exclaimed and dashed out of the room. I closed the door behind me before she could stop me and ran down the hall. Once I got to the kitchen area, I stopped and noticed Barton at the table. Barton cleaned his equipment with a small kitchen rag with an expression of seriousness. He definitely focused on his actions in an effort to not break anything. I strolled over to him and sat down in one of the chairs. My eyes glanced around, and then out into the living room to find Peter. "So, I heard you and Natasha are great friends."

He narrowed his eyes. The animosity, fury, dismay, and a blank slate, all emotions he has shown to me in the past, washed over his face in a short wave. He exhaled the breath he was holding and blinked for a moment. All of the emotions were gone, except for serenity. "Can you face me while you're talking?"

I furrowed my brow in confusion. "Are you hard of hearing?" There was completely nothing wrong with that, but out of everything that wasn't in his file, that was it? Seems like something major to leave out of your enemy's file. Way to go Hydra. Barton pointed to his ear, which had a hearing aid hooked onto it. My eyes widened. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

A confused look plastered itself onto his face. "You worked at Hydra and didn't know?" He set his bows down and wiped his hands with the rag. His light blue eyes looked me over once or twice, and commented, "For someone who thinks they're a great agent, you aren't that detail oriented, are you?"

A tinge of anger swam through my blood stream. My eye twitched for a second. "If I had a vendetta against you, Barton, you can bet on everything that is righteous that I would find out every bit of information you had. Everything you own, have owned, people you knew, people you loved, family, friends, your innermost secrets, your dark past, and even what you had for breakfast last week would be on my desk in a file. I would know _everything_."

"That doesn't sound intimidating at all," Barton stated in a flat tone. He crossed his arms and leaned back on his chair.

I quickly digressed from the feeling of irritation and remembered what I came in here for. _Why isn't he being more hostile towards me?_ I thought. _Maybe he just wants to see what I'm all about so he can use it against me later._ This is for Natasha. The only way to say it was to be somewhat blunt about it. "Someone on this floor likes you, and God knows it's not me."

"Are you talking about Tasha?"

I squinted my eyes in confusion and sarcastically responded, "No, it's Peter." I rolled my eyes. "Of course it's Natasha!"

"Well, sorry to rain on your parade, but Tasha lied to you." One corner of his mouth lifted and a gleam formed in his eye. He knew something he wasn't telling me. "She's trained at that."

"Well, maybe you should make a move on her. You two deserve a little something after everything that has happened," I winked at him and stood up.

He spoke up before I left, "We're already together, but we haven't made it official yet. Just don't tell anyone, alright?"

A newfound trust formed in my heart, which made me light up in pure joy. "Of course, Barton. As long as you try to be nicer, because I have heard that you can be one of the nicest men out there. I need to see it to believe it." With that, I walked out of the area. I wasn't looking where I was going and bumped right into Bruce. I put my hands on his arms to keep me from falling and glanced up at him, "I'm sorry."

Banner let me regain my stance and smiled warmly, "It's no problem, Lilly. Accidents happen." He stood there awkwardly with a paper in his hand, which appeared to be the crossword of the week. "Uh…" He scratched his head with the pen in his hand, "Are you headed up to see Tony?"

I snorted, "No. He told me not to bother him."

"Yeah, he gets that way sometimes. Sometimes he sits in the lab for hours with either Steve or I." Bruce adjusted his glasses and asked, "So, where are you going?"

I looked towards the living room to see Peter already on the couch. I nodded in the same direction and added, "Peter convinced me to watch a show with him." I brushed my hair back with my hand and put my hands in my back pockets. "I've noticed Tony has only select close relationships here. He's such a complete sarcastic asshole though…"

Banner laughed, which revealed some wrinkles in his aging face. "He's not all that bad once you get under his skin."

"Yeah, I know. He's kind of growin' on me," I admitted.

Bruce seemed shy, but the good kind. It brought a scent of innocence into the group mixture. He tapped his pen against the paper and nervously stated, "His sarcasm keeps the big guy locked up inside, if that makes any sense. Tony has his faults, but he does help a lot of people, too."

My emotions flittered around like butterflies as he confided in me. I didn't want to ask any serious questions about the…angry side of him, but I felt compelled to. I had waited for so long to ask him everything about it. His situation was so unique and- "How are you doing? Dealing with him and all?"

He noticed my heightened interest and nodded slowly, "I haven't had an outbreak in a while. I'll…I'll count that as a good thing."

"I admire your strength, Banner. I'm really thankful that you're part of the team because I don't want to be the only sane one here." He laughed and I continued, "If you ever need to talk, don't hesitate to come to me." Bruce nodded and walked off to the elevator. I shuffled over to the couch and plopped down next to my cousin. I overheard Clint and Tasha chuckling in the other room. _Mental note: They could be one of the cutest couples I have ever met._

A man sauntered into the living room and nearly collapsed into the nearest seat. He exhaled loudly, brushed his long blonde hair out of his face, and relaxed. His blue eyes looked at Peter as he grinned, showing his white teeth. The gruff on his face was in the first stage of forming a beard. That would make him…Thor. The last Avenger here. Thor paused when he saw me. "Who are you?"

Peter gestured his hand toward me, "This is my cousin, Lilly Parker."

I held my hand out to him and declared, "I've heard a lot about you."

"All good things, I hope," he chuckled. Thor shook my hand and hesitated. He scrunched up his brow. "What are you, if I may ask?"

I was taken aback by that. I didn't know he could tell who was human and who wasn't. Maybe it was because he was a God. I disclosed, "A success of a test subject, apparently. Mutant by testing."

Thor nodded and said, "I'm sorry to hear that."

I shook my head and waved it off. This was something I couldn't be ashamed of. "No need. It's actually helpful." _It's who I am_.

"So you're Peter's cousin? I don't see the relation between you two," he used his hands to speak. He leaned back in his chair in amusement as his eyes moved between the two of us.

"Hey!" Peter exclaimed. He gestured to his face, using his hands to form a frame around it. "I'm good looking too."

I pushed him off of the couch and smirked, "Just because he doesn't see the relation between us doesn't mean you're not good looking, you weirdo." Peter shot me a glare before getting back into his seat.

"He may be weird, but he's one hell of an edition to the team," Thor beamed widely. His blue eyes sparkled in the light as he turned to Peter to send a smile. Peter lit up and returned the gesture as a thank you.

 _That's sweet. He's really part of the team._ I thought. I ruffled Peter's short hair. "Aw, Peter, you found yourself a family." I tried not to remember what happened years ago to my family. I had to focus on the now. I was here, at the Avengers' tower, with my cousin Peter. Nothing could get better. I faced Thor fully and set my legs on Peter's lap. I relaxed against the side of the couch and used my arm to hold me up. "Not to intrude or anything, Thor, but how are you and Jane doing?"

He perked up at her name and immediately got defensive. His chest heaved as he furrowed his brow angrily. Thor tightened his grip on the chair's arms and nearly broke them. "How do you know about her?"

I tilted my head back just a bit and clicked my tongue. "I have done my research."

Thor glanced over at my cousin, who just shrugged, and hesitated. He knew I wasn't evil, for the group trusted me enough to let me into the tower in the first place. "We're good, but I have to stay quiet with her in our relationship. We don't want any unwanted attention, especially if anyone finds out that she's my girlfriend…" He wandered off and a small blush came to his cheeks. "I really miss her, even though I saw her a couple days ago. Her studies keep her busy."

Peter fidgeted with the remote and changed to the recorded show. "Alright, we're going to watch this." He set down the remote after pushing play, not even letting me finish the conversation with the God of Thunder.


	10. Chapter 10

Tony and Steve barged in from the elevator and interrupted our game. We bet that Natasha couldn't beat Thor in an arm wrestling match, so she tried to make the impossible possible. She was wickedly strong and almost beat Thor until Tony stated, "Stop whatever you're doing and get over here."

"Being more bossy than usual, Stark?" Tasha questioned as she used all of her strength against Thor. She strained to keep up her energy, but she attempted to be calm and cool about it.

Thor chuckled in amusement at her attempt. His muscles bulged out of his arm to where I could clearly see his veins, but he didn't even break a sweat. "Your endeavor is entertaining, Natasha, but you might as well give up."

"We have a lot of money counting on this game," Peter reported to Tony and Steve. He rubbed his hands together and watched in anticipation. A worried expression formed on his face as Natasha's hand took control of the game and was close to winning. He clutched onto Bruce's arm in fear they were going to lose the bet.

Clint rubbed Natasha's tense shoulders and watched in anticipation. "Come on, Tasha, you can do it." The look on Natasha's face became utter concentration and her stare reeked of determination. She bit her lip and used all her power to make Thor's hand slam onto the table top. Clint and I cheered out of sheer joy as Bruce and Peter cried out in despair. Thor's eyes widened as Natasha laughed and raised her hands in victory. Money was passed around to the winning betters and comments were passed.

Tony and Steve rolled their eyes and gave each other bored looks. "Are you guys done?" Steve questioned in a dead tone. They walked over to the dining room table waiting for the rest of the team to assemble. Tony set his phone in the middle of the table.

"Wait," Natasha said. She snatched the nearest phone and quickly took a picture of herself smiling in front of Peter and Bruce, who were extremely upset for losing the bet. Peter stuck his tongue out while Banner made an Are-You-Serious look. She set the phone down and led Clint and I to the table. Peter, Banner, and Thor trudged over to the table in a grumpy mood. "Now we're done."

Tony projected an image from his cell phone into the air. He snapped his hands together and walked around restlessly. "Jarvis found a lab that logged in some of the substance after a camera caught a shipment coming in. We've downloaded the buildings plans. We couldn't get into the system they have without letting them know we're coming."

I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms. "What about the account I gave you?"

Bruce took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He let out a tired sigh. "Let me guess. The account isn't active anymore."

"Precisely, big guy. After we hacked into it they deactivated the account. So, we have to storm the place while they least expect it. And by _we_ , I mean _you_ ," Tony pointed to the rest of us and expanded the blueprints so we could see it better.

"Who's going in?" Natasha questioned. She stood on the side with her hands on the table. Her emerald eyes sparkled in the light with a hint of excitement. It might also have been the adrenaline running through her system from the game.

Steve took control from there and stood at the head of the table. He handed each of us an earpiece, except for Tony and Banner. "We're going to storm in from the back and work our way up to the lab. Clint, you're going to stay back and watch from one of the rooftops. We don't need anyone flanking us from the back." His eyes met Tasha's and ordered, "You're going to stand out front and wait to see if anyone runs out. Take them out if they do."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on here," I put up my hand to stop him from speaking and went over to the blueprints. I pointed at a few areas. "This is where the cameras are. They will see us coming, so they will make a run to the front, leaving Natasha with nearly a hundred guys." I looked Steve square in the eye and held my ground. "I've been to this building before. The best way to attack is to split up into two teams and push them in from both sides. They'll have nowhere to run."

"She's handled worse," Steve commented, trying to make me back down.

I fixed my posture and furrowed my brow. A slight raise in my voice appeared gradually, "So what? You think she's going to kill nearly a hundred guys as they flood out of the doorway? What happens if there are a bunch of agents and they fight her, letting the rest get away?" _Does he really think he can just boss people around like this?_ I pondered. He was going to lead someone to their death. That was something I couldn't let happen. I needed them to help me take out Red Skull and whoever he's working with.

Steve began, "You th-"

"Steve, she's right. I can handle a lot of things, but that might get a little overwhelming when you're giving me such a big task," Natasha cut in. Everyone remained silent for a minute. Natasha looked over at Clint, who gave her a reassuring nod. I could see the gears running in her mind as she thought of what to say. She bit her lip and pinched the bridge of her nose before she could even bring herself to speak. "It just seems like Lilly's idea is a lot better."

Tony and Steve appeared offended in the next few seconds. Tony backed Steve up as he headed to the head of the table. "I think Steve has a point. Cover the front and the back. Keep them locked in."

"Oh, shut it, Tony. You're not even going," Peter talked back to him. He stood next to me and backed me up on this. He ran one of his hands through his short brown hair; his chocolate eyes looked on the blueprints. He pointed out, "Look. Even if your plan does work out, Steve, it's not going to succeed as well as you think it will."

Clint stepped up to the plate and shot back, "You're only siding with her because she's your cousin. How about you man up and use your common sense." Clint ended up on the other side of the table with Steven and Tony. He crossed his arms across his chest, making his muscles bulge from the black muscle shirt he was wearing. He sent an apologetic nod to Tasha, who narrowed her eyes at him.

It was clear now. We knew what side we were on.

I bit the inside of my cheek from saying anything I would regret later. "Look, Rogers, you're one of the most strategic people I have ever observed. I don't know what has your star spangled panties in a knot, but can you please just trust me on this? I know the facility."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Who helped win a world war? Defeated Hydra twice?" He cupped his ear with his hand and waited for an answer, but I didn't reply. He set his hand down and stated, "Exactly. My mind is in the right place. Is yours?"

"Alright, stop it, all of you," Thor commanded and set his hammer down on the table. He scanned all of our frustrated expressions before proceeding, "You all fight like Thulbinaskis." All of us looked at him with blank expressions and waited for him to explain. "They're small, annoying creatures in one of the realms."

Banner sided with Thor. He put his glasses on and sighed. "Come on guys. Let's be realistic here. Thor is right. We can't be fighting here. It's only a waste of time." Bruce took down the plans and made us focus on each other.

That was the difficult part.

Steve eyed me with such frustration and intensity that it hurt me. He didn't look away as he stood in his rigid state and exhaled loudly. "It's a tie. There has to be some way to settle this."

"There is," I declared. The anger was boiling up inside me that I didn't notice the heat emanating from my hands. I quickly moved my hands away from the wooden table and tried to refocus my energy on something else other than my powers. I kept my mind off of it and continued, "Tasha, Peter and I will go through the front while you and Thor go in through the back. Clint can stay back and monitor the place."

"How come you get two people with you?" Clint questioned as he cocked his head. He knit his eyebrows together and kept his eyes away from Romanov. He knew if he took one look at her, he'd give in quickly.

I scoffed, "If you want Natas-"

"No, let her keep Natasha." Steve put his hand out to stop me from talking and stated, "Having more people with you just shows you're dependent on them." He stood tall and held my fiery gaze.

I shot back, "Rogers, I have worked alone for years. And you? You have been working in a team for more than I have. You might give the orders and be some hotshot, but you're more dependent on them than I am." I glanced over at Bruce, who kept his anger at bay. "Clint and Natasha can watch both sides of the building while two of us go in from each side. That way, we'll circle them in and no one will be overwhelmed alone."

"There. Lilly combined both ideas. Problem solved," Thor said. He picked up Mjolnir happily and added, "Can we go now?"

Steve grabbed his shield and nodded before leaving. Clint and Natasha followed soon after, but remained apart in some distance. Peter, Thor, and I looked at each other curiously and walked out, leaving Tony and Bruce behind.


	11. Chapter 11

"All clear," Hawkeye stated through the earpiece. He positioned himself on one of the rooftops behind the building belonging to Hydra. Barton pulled out his bow in one quick move and placed an arrow in his hand, ready to fire at any moment. His black clothing camouflaged him against the moonless sky.

"Natasha?" Captain America asked quietly. He was standing in the back with Thor. Steve's hair and red, white, and blue shield were noticeable in the dark, but his dark blue outfit did its best to keep him hidden.

Thor's red cape was a dead giveaway, but he refused to take it off. He said it reminded him of his home and it would be dishonorable to his friends to remove it. Thor kept his arms crossed against his metal chest armor and his eyes wandered around. He grew impatient of waiting.

"Clear." Black Widow reported back. She leaned against one of the buildings and played with something in her hand. She stretched in her black outfit and yawned. Her short red hair sat behind her ear and her green eyes looked around in a bored state. "I think it would be a lot more fun if Clint and I played catch from here."

Clint chuckled, "I can't throw that far."

"You have a great arm. If you can shoot an arrow at someone without even looking at them, you can throw something from the top of a building down to me. It's my arm you should be worried about."

Steve hushed both of them and moved on. "Peter? We all set?"

Spiderman cracked his neck and checked his web devices. "Locked and loaded, Cap." He made sure his red mask was firmly on his head. His red and blue suit fit tightly against his skin, which advanced his nimbleness. Peter jumped up and down to get his adrenaline pumping.

I ran my hands along my black pants and stretched my dark purple top out just a bit. Natasha had picked out my outfit, and she is incredibly more flexible in this than I am. I rolled my eyes around in my contacts, trying to make sure they were properly in place. I silently contemplated on if any of this was worth it. So what if we had gotten the formula away from them. And then what? They could have more stashed away somewhere else. I put my hair up in a high ponytail and cracked my knuckles. Peter watched me and cocked his head. I whispered, "What are you looking at?"

Peter quickly peeked at the door and back at me. "Nothing. You can't even see my eyes," he shot back quietly.

"Alright, let's go," Captain America commanded through the earpiece.

Spiderman shot the camera with his webs, covering the lens so the security guards couldn't see us entering the building. Peter sidestepped inside and shot at the first person he saw wandering around. The person fell to the ground all tied up in webbing. Peter made his way to the next door.

I could her Natasha talking to Clint through the earpiece. Her tone was calm and steady, but had a hint of playfulness in it. "Barton, help me decide who to set up Rogers with. I've been trying, but he keeps rejecting my ideas."

I nodded to Peter, signaling to open the door, and I rushed inside. An alarm began to go off, which aided us in our mission. The ringing sounded like police sirens going off all around us, enveloping us in a soft blanket of noise. About a dozen scientists filed out of the room, but when they saw Peter, they immediately scrambled. I used my powers to hold the metal doors that lead to the exit shut. The scientists panicked and stood still in sheer silence. They didn't know whether to fight or flee. Agents sprinted down the stairs, ready to fight whatever stood in their way.

 _Good luck to them._ I thought to myself with a smirk. I directed my attention to the scientists for a few seconds, "If you know what's good for you, you're going to stay right there and not move." I walked to the agents, who were already taking out their guns, and I threw the guns with a wave of my hand. Their shocked expressions, and some of terror, enlightened my spirit. "Go ahead. Make the first move."

I distracted them while Peter had climbed his way onto the ceiling and sprung down on the group of guys. Webbing was shot all over the place, punches and kicks thrown, manish yells erupted from the pile of bodies. All I could do was stand and watch as this comedic scene unfolded. I never thought Peter would do something ridiculous like that.

"Is everything going on alright over there?" Thor questioned in curiosity through the earpiece.

I guess they did hear all of this commotion. "Yeah. Spidey just started a mosh pit of agents here," I answered quickly. Peter still attacked with all of his might, which to my surprise, was a lot. He was doing just fine on his own. His foot came into contact with one guy's chest, and his fist collided with a jaw or two.

"Mosh pit? What in God's name is that?" Thor and Steve asked simultaneously. Some struggling was audible from the other side of the earpiece and something clanged against a wall.

I grabbed a guy off of the floor and tossed him across the room. "You old geezers don't know anything," I commented as I watched Peter gouge one man's knife into his own leg. I shoved the scientists into a closet and locked them in. There wasn't a need for them to escape and snitch on us. Peter used his webs to stick a guy to the wall and another to the ceiling after kicking him upwards.

Peter was having a laughing fit as he took down the last guy and knocked him out. "We should have training sessions like this all the time!" He was panting because he was out of breath, but he had the will to keep going.

I shook my head at his silliness and walked up the stairs. He said he hadn't been on a mission in a while, so seeing him light up as he fought those guys tooth and nail really made my day. I bet there was even a gleam in his eye right now. "This isn't a training session. This is a mission. We're here to destroy the supplies," I pointed out.

Steve grunted in the background and I heard some guy cry out in pain. A metallic sound bouncing off a wall became more audible by the second. The other end of the earpiece was Black Widow knocking out other agents that had fled the building through the windows. Hawkeye shot some arrows off, exploding some areas of the building nearby. The couple laughed at an inside joke one of them had made and enjoyed the moment.

I turned to my right and created a portal to the next room, for the door was locked. I dragged Peter through the blue portal before it closed and saw the entrance to the lab. He glanced around for a second and set his hands behind his head in a lazy fashion. He said, referring to Cap and Thor, "Coming?"

Thor's hammer crashed through the door on the other side of the room, knocking the door to the floor with a loud thud. He had a streak of blood on his face that dripped down to his chin as his blue eyes tiredly gazed at us. His chest heaved in his metallic armor when he stated, "We're here."

Steve strolled into the room casually. His blonde hair was messed up slightly and his outfit had blood stains on it. "Is this it?" Rogers pointed to the door in front of us.

I nodded. The only lab was on the second floor. The rest of the building was used for training agents and supplied them office space to work. I almost kicked the door in until more agents flooded the stairs on their way down to us. I smiled as I punched one guy straight in the nose. He fell backwards into another guy, nearly creating a domino effect.

Thor swung around in a circle faster and faster before letting it go. It hit some of the men and pushed them down. Some were completely knocked out in the process. He chuckled at the sight of his own work.

I used one agent as a shield when another shot off a taser gun. The man was electrocuted and fell to the floor in a twitchy motion. I kicked one in the chest and iced another's head. The man screamed until nothing came out of his mouth. One last breath of cold air came out before he fell to the floor in agony.

Captain America threw his shield at one agent's head, killing him in the process. The shield bounced off the wall and back to him, letting him catch it in time. A man attacked him in an attempt to stab him.

Barton hummed from his stand point. His voice became soft and soothing as he stated, "Maybe we should set up Steve with Lilly."

I spun around and saw Cap throw a guy into me unexpectedly. The guy used his fist to wound my rib cage. I winced and pinned him down in one quick move. I set my hand onto his chest and emanated heat from my hand to create a hole in his chest. The man's eyes widened, but quickly faded under the heat. I stood up, wiping the skin stuck to my hand off, and shot a glare at Steve. "Really?" _Was that a test? Or was he just being completely rude?_

"You had it handled," he responded in a flat tone. Steve caught his breath in a short amount of time and patted Thor on the shoulder as a sign of thanks for backing him up. The raid was successful. He moved on into the main lab. He pushed the doors open with force, but dropped his shield soon after.

The lab was empty.

Nothing but bare tables and sickly white walls stared right back at us as we stood in the doorway. The cold tile floor seemed freshly polished and the some of the lights were flickering. We stepped into the room to take in the little clues we could, but nothing was there. That place was spotless.

"There's nothing in here," Rogers stated in disbelief. This was the only lead to get ahead of the game. We could have been one step farther than Hydra. Now that dream was ruined. Soiled by the advanced thinking of the scientists. Natasha and Barton responded in silence. All of that work, and for what? Nothing.

I set my hands on my hips and leaned against one of the tables. How could Jarvis be so wrong? Unless they moved the serum right after checking it in with this building. Maybe there was something else to this story. Red Skull couldn't have known we were coming, right? That seemed absurd. My chest constricted. It was only going to get worse from here, wasn't it?

"So now what? Do we go home?" Peter asked impatiently. He paced the room several times in a nervous habit.

Thor called out, "Wait." He traced his fingertips along the wall where some ancient scrawls were located. His blond hair swished around when he turned back and forth repeatedly, trying to find out if any of us knew what the words said. His hand traced down to the bottom center of the design. One letter was scribbled off, wrecking the beautiful formation that could have been there the whole time. "They must have taken off when we left….And that could only mean…." Thor's bright blue eyes widened immediately.


	12. Chapter 12

"Thor!" Steve called out. Thor ran out through the front door where he met up with Romanov and Barton. He pushed passed them and stood out in the open. "What are you doing?" Steve set his shield on his back and caught up with him. After he saw those markings on the wall, he just stormed out. Steve ran his hands through his short blonde hair and glanced around the group with his bright blue eyes.

Thor raised his hands to make us back away. Sweat dripped down his bearded face and his long blonde hair fell in his face. Parts of his blue eyes peeked through the blonde curtain and stared directly at us with sheer uncertainty. "I have to go home."

"Those symbols were from Asgard, weren't they?" I brought up. My hands rested on my hips in an attempt to rest. My powers had drained my energy and all of that running didn't help. He simply nodded and walked a bit farther to get away from us. I immediately declared, "You aren't going alone."

"What?" Thor questioned and an expression of confusion washed over his face. He tightened his grip on his hammer, "You have no idea what it's going to be like up there."

Peter added, "I'm in too." He took off his mask and revealed his sweaty face. His hair was a wet mess but he didn't seem to care. He slung his arm around my shoulder in a tired fashion and leaned on me.

Natasha joined in, "You know, as much as I would love to see how beautiful Asgard is, I think I'm going to have to pass. Seeing an alien race is one thing. Seeing another world? Too much."

Clint's hand landed on Tasha's shoulder. He wiped his face in frustration. "I've got to say, I'm with Tasha on this one. Putting up with Loki was enough for me."

"Loki's dead," Thor stated bluntly, a dead tone weighing down his voice. He glanced down at the floor and then up at the sky. He wanted to say something else, but the words were stuck in his throat.

Steve cleared his throat and thought for a moment. His blue eyes wandered around as the gears in his mind turned. A few moments seemed to pass of just silence and our heavy breathing before he said, "I'm in. Someone's got to be there if things go wrong."

"What, Peter and I aren't enough back up?" I asked, taken aback. I crossed my arms and shifted my weight onto my other leg. I knew he didn't trust me, but come on. I was part of the team. I contributed. What was his problem?

He chuckled and actually cracked a smile. That didn't make me feel any better because he was probably laughing at me and not with me. "I only believe in one God, yet here one is standing right in front of me. If I have the chance to see this magical, tell-tale city, I'm going to. I need to see it to believe it." He wiped his dirty, bloody hands on his blue suit, which didn't help him at all. It only smudged even more. His eyes landed on Natasha and Clint. "Go get the scientists. Bring them back to Stark. Interrogate them. Then they are yours to do whatever you want. We can't let them leave with the knowledge they have," he ordered. Both nodded and walked inside of the building.

The blood in my veins picked up speed and anger flowed through it. I hated that he didn't trust me. I hated that if he had a problem with me, surely I could get kicked out. I hated that he didn't even give me a chance. Was I supposed to prove myself to him? How? Did I just not get the memo? I strolled over to Thor. "Why are we here? Can't you just finish the portal that's already inside?"

Thor chuckled in amusement, "I have no clue where that portal will bring us. It will go to Asgard, but where in Asgard is the question. It's too dangerous, especially if we land right in the middle of something."

Steve and Peter walked over to stand close to us. Peter scratched the back of his head and glanced around. "So, how are we going to get there?"

"Simple. Heimdall! Open the Bifrost!" Thor called out to the heavens.

In the next few seconds, a beam of light descended from the sky and surrounded us. Colors shot passed us in quick mixtures of light as we warped through space. I wanted to hold onto something; it felt like we were on a rollercoaster without being strapped in, or free falling from a building, just going up instead of down. I couldn't move my hand. We were going way too fast for my molecules to even comprehend, so they just stayed in place. It was all over in a matter of seconds.

Peter and I fell to the floor instantly on our arrival. Steve caught himself just in time and rested his hands on his legs. I groaned softly and rubbed my head. I could still see the colors vividly in my mind, like an artist throwing paint onto a canvas. My stomach churned and the world seemed to be spinning. "A little warning would have been nice, Thor."

"Scotty, next time, don't beam us up that fast. I almost threw up," Peter remarked as he rolled around on the ground in pain. He coughed a bit and put his hand to his mouth.

Heimdall loomed over us and looked all three of us over. His golden eyes almost peered into our souls, trying to take in every little detail he could see. Heimdall's dark skin glistened against the polished golden armor he was wearing. The dark orange color in the armor of his fabric seemed to fade as it went down, leading into the fabric of his pants. His helmet sat on his head like a deer's antlers. A small smirk came to his face as he observed, "I see you've brought friends."

"We found a portal on earth that would lead to Asgard, but the last symbol was scratched off. Do you know who could have done that?" Thor went straight to the point, not wanting to wait until they finished their idle chit-chat.

Heimdall's voice was deeper than I expected it to be. He turned back to his post and watched the galaxy swirl together and the stars shine. His eyes wandered, gazing deep into the portal. "It's been quiet around here lately." He stopped and slightly turned his head to us. "No one has been asking to use the Bifrost. I haven't heard word from the King in a while, or other townsfolk for that matter."

"Do you know what happened?" Captain Rogers asked as he caught his breath. He fixed his posture and held his hand out to me. I raised an eyebrow before taking it; he lifted me up and helped me steady myself on my own two feet. I still felt sick, but I had to contain it. I hated the fact that Rogers could go from hating my guts to being a gentleman and helping me up. Was it just because he had manners, or was he trying to be nice?

Heimdall shook his head and resumed his position. He set his hands on his sword, which was positioned right in front of him. "Ever since the Queen died, the whole city has tried to rebuild itself. Last I heard, the King was throwing a tantrum and threatening some of the guards."

Thor's expression fell. The color in his blue eyes dulled and his lip twitched at the memory of his mother's death. He glanced around and pushed the tears back, trying to remain strong in front of us. "I'll go check on my friends. Thank you, Heimdall." Thor helped Peter up before walking onto the bridge that connected the Bifrost to the city.

"If you ever need help, I am here," Heimdall called out from his spot.

I set my hand on my stomach in an attempt to calm my insides. My hazel eyes looked at the back of Thor's blonde head and walked in the same direction. The bridge shined as beams of rainbow colors skidded across, leaving a mesmerizing pattern in its mold. Stepping onto the bridge felt like I was walking on glass, but I knew it had to be at least a few feet thick. I glanced ahead at the city itself and almost stopped in my tracks. "Do you believe it now, Rogers?" I asked breathlessly.

The well populated city laid out in front of us like a sparkling jewel. The sun shown down on the whole place, making the buildings appear like they are a glistening gold. The shapes of the buildings were an architectural marvel to me. Not one building appeared the same, which added a mixture of wonder to the place. The shades of white, black, and brown of the city lead my eye to the palace, which stood in the middle of it all and gleamed in the light. The gold exterior made a mountain-like formation that almost appeared to be made of giant organ pipes. It was quiet on the bridge, and not one voice could be heard arising from the city. It was peaceful, but maybe a little too peaceful. Shivers ran down my spine as we walked on, listening to the sounds of running water beside us. I glanced down at the blue water to see the bottom of the river's floor hundreds of yards down. The rivers were definitely well kept to be that clear. Upon looking at it, the first thought that came to mind was magical. This was a city told in folklores and now, here we were standing in front of it. 

Steve's mouth moved, but only inaudible sounds came out. His pace slowed as his eyes scoured everything he could see. Once he caught me looking at him, he stopped his wondrous gaze. Steve scratched the back of his head and said, "I guess I have to."

"Why is it sunny here, but it was night when we left?" Peter pointed out. He stretched his limbs and held his head gently to stop his world from spinning.

Thor nearly yelled out, "Asgard has a different cycle than Midgard. Midgard revolves around the sun, while Asgard revolves around nothing. It is just Asgard and the mountains behind us. The sun rises and falls in a shorter amount of time."

Peter cocked his head just a bit and squinted as the sun shined its rays into his brown eyes. "So, you don't have any seasons?"

"No. Not really. There are different realms that have that," he answered simply.

We walked onto the stone pathway through the city. The people were indoors, and the only ones outside didn't bother to look at us. We must have been a sight for the Asgardians. A super soldier wearing a red, white, and blue suit with a shield on his back like a turtle, a man in red, black, and blue tights, and a mutant in dark colors. Comparing us to Thor and what others wore, which were elegant dresses and armor, we stuck out like sore thumbs.

The clean streets contained bright, joyful colors, but the vibe the city contained was stressed and worried. It overshadowed the colors and sunk in for everyone to breathe in. Beautiful monuments were placed in the middle of some streets, and others were filled with open shops. Trees with white leaves that almost appeared like cherry blossoms grew on almost every corner. I glanced over at Peter and Steve to see their reactions, but their faces emitted a calm gaze. _Am I the only one astounded by this?_ I thought and walked on. Thor greeted some people, but they quickly walked away after that. He seemed to be taken aback by this and walked straight to the palace.

A tall woman stomped out of the palace gates and noticed us walking up. She stopped in her tracks and grinned a bit, "Thor, what a lovely surprise." The woman's silver armor matched her red dress and black tights. Two gauntlets wrapped around her wrists and a sword was placed in a sheath on her back. Her long black hair was half hung up and the rest cascaded past her shoulders. Her blue eyes looked all of us over. "And you brought guests."

"Is the rest of the group in there?" Thor questioned in a stressed tone. He rested his hammer on a bench on the side and hugged the woman.

She wrapped her arms around him tightly and pulled away. Her lips formed a straight line before saying, "They're at their homes with their families. Since the King doesn't want to be bothered, we've gone our separate ways for now. Think of it like a vacation."

Thor rubbed the stubble on his face and groaned. He turned to us and introduced us. "Captain Rogers, Peter, and Lilly, this is Sif, one of the best warriors of Asgard."

She bowed her head in response and kept a straight face. "It's a pleasure to meet you all." Her eyes traced Thor's features tenderly and she kept talking, "Thor, don't go in there. The King…he's unstable. He's been distraught since the loss of the Queen. Give him some space."

"You're not at all worried about him? What about the people of Asgard? They're frightened, Sif," Thor questioned and furrowed his brow. His muscles tensed up.

Sif placed a hand on his arm. She sighed and looked into his eyes. "It has been tense. Unusual. It's a dead end to try to fix it. The only thing that can is time."

I noticed the way she looked at him, so loving and caringly, that it seemed sad. He was so in love with Jane, but here Sif was, madly in love with him. That was the same gleam of hope Natasha and Clint made when they saw each other. I got straight to the point, "We found a portal on Earth leading to Asgard. We think you could help us figure out who made it and why they are using the back way instead of the Bifrose."

"Bifrost," Steve corrected me.

I made a deep scoffing noise, "Whatever. Can you help us? They are in a secret operation that could cause a lot of trouble if executed properly."

She nodded and added in a smooth tone, "Of course. I have nothing better to do other than make sure Asgard is protected." Sif's eyes were glued to Thor. "Promise me you'll leave. You could make things worse with the King…"

"Yeah, I get it," he put up his hands and backed away. "You shouldn't fear your King. I will come back later to straighten things out. Right now, we have important matters to attend to." He waved to Sif and stated, "Good luck on your mission." Sif bowed once more as she put her fist to her chest and left.

After a few more hours of endless questioning and searching through the city, we gave up. The people were either too busy or too tense to answer any questions. Some even slammed doors in our faces. This was a complete dead end.

"What are we going to do now? This was pointless," Peter pointed out and sat down on the side of a fountain. He raked his hands through his hair and groaned.

Rogers rubbed his face with his hands. "Go home. We need to rest up and then try to figure out another lead."

Thor didn't say a word and was quiet all the way back to the tower. Something was wrong, but we didn't want to ask. We would all be unsettled too, if our father was going ballistic and the whole city was tense. The question was, who wanted an indestructible army? And why are they affiliated with Asgard?


	13. Chapter 13

"Wait, so how do you say 'please'?" Peter questioned Clint. He sat on the couch next to Natasha as they learned some sign language. Their eyes were focused on Hawkeye and fully put their concentration on him.

Clint raised his hand to his chest, stuck his thumb out after putting his fingers together, and rubbed in a clockwise direction a few times. His light blue eyes watched Natasha as she duplicated his actions. Peter followed suit and messed up a bit before getting it right. Tasha smiled and glanced around to see who witnessed the event. She knew several languages, but learning something new so that she can get on a deeper relationship with Clint made her excited.

Natasha's green eyes landed on mine and called me over by patting the seat next to her. She turned to Clint. "Teach Lilly something."

Clint groaned and tilted his head back. His hands fell limp in his chair in a tired way. "Why?"

 _Wow, rude._ I thought to myself. I was semi tempted to just flip him off, but Natasha would intervene pretty quickly. I knew she hated it when Clint and I fought, but I couldn't help it. He was rude to me, so what did she expect? I sighed and sat in between her and Peter, waiting for Clint to cooperate with me. If things around here were going to be released of the tension, I might as well take the first step to show everyone that I'm willing to cooperate.

"Come on, be nice to her," Natasha swatted him on the leg lightly and sent him a look with raised eyebrows.

"This…" Clint stated as he made a motion. "Is how you say 'friend'." His light eyes glimpsed at me and he forced his lips to twitch up into a smile.

I could see what he was trying to do…Call a truce. Signing 'friend' would be accepting his friendship and trying to move past the fighting. I lifted my hands into the air and interlocked my index fingers twice. "Like this?" I had to comprehend what he was teaching me, otherwise, it would never stick. Maybe this would come in handy in the battlefield. Well, once we learn more sign language, that is.

Before Barton could say anything, Bruce came into the room and dropped a bunch of movies onto the coffee table. All of it made a loud crashing sound against the glass and caught our attention. He stretched in his purple shirt and green pajama pants and sunk down into one of the chairs. He yawned before questioning our confused expressions. "What? Did nobody tell you it's movie night?"

"Clearly we were left out of the loop," I declared as I rested against the back of the couch. Seeing him yawn almost made me reciprocate it. "I've never seen you wear pajamas. Did you sleep most of the day?"

Banner scratched his curly hair and brushed it back with both of his hands after he was done. His brown eyes glanced over at me nervously and he adjusted in his seat. He didn't enjoy explaining things about himself to new people. I could tell from the expression on his face. "Yeah. I did." He paused for a minute, and then quickly added, "I had a long night, that's all."

Peter nudged my arm in response to his answer and shook his head slightly when I noticed. There was something about Banner that no one had told me. I knew he was super smart and somewhat shy when it came to new people, but what else was there to him? I remember reading his file back at Hydra. All it contained was information on his normal description and the Hulk's, his occupation, age, gender, and name. When it came to files, Hydra wasn't the best at finding information. They tended to focus on training agents and brainwashing people. I raised my hand a little bit to gesture that I didn't know what he was talking about and witnessed him shake his head once more.

Peter nodded towards Bruce, "I'll get the popcorn, man. Just pick a movie. It's your choice tonight." He got up and headed towards the kitchen.

Natasha remarked as she held her head up with one hand on the armrest, "Just please don't pick anything boring like Tony did last time."

A voice interjected from the far end of the room behind us, "Hey, _Independence Day_ was an awesome movie!" Tony poked his head out from the kitchen before grabbing something from the counter. He held a few soda cans in his hand and walked out into the living area. "Hey, Robin Hood, catch."

Barton turned his head to Tony and began to say, "Wha-" The can hit him square in the face as he flinched. The can dropped into his lap and left a big red mark on his nose. His light blue eyes glared at Tony and he scowled. The wheels cranked in his mind from what I could see, and it seemed like he was contemplating on whether to get him back or not. He sat back in his seat easily and relaxed as he opened up the can.

Stark passed out the remaining drinks to Nat and I. He sat down in one of the solitary chairs unnerved and gulped down some of his alcohol. His brown eyes watched as Banner picked a movie from the pile and dragged his feet over to the television. He popped the movie into the blueray player and sat down in a chair next to Tony. He curled up into the chair and waited for the movie to play.

Steve came out and plopped down next to me on the couch. He leaned towards the end of the couch and leaned on the arm rest. Peter walked back over to us with three bowls of popcorn and handed one to Bruce and Clint. He was about to drop down next to me on the couch, but he noticed Steve was already there. Peter's eyes narrowed at him. He didn't want to point out that he was in his spot, but at the same time, Peter wanted to bother me. I could see the gleam in his eyes that told me exactly that. Peter sat down on the floor in front of me and leaned back against my legs.

He gestured the bowl up to me, so I grabbed some popcorn and popped it into my mouth. I took a little bit more before he set the bowl down and held it in my hand for a minute or two. Steve took two pieces from my hand and munched on them while his eyes were glued to the screen. I turned my head a bit to look at him curiously. Never in my entire life have I had someone take popcorn from my hand. The bowl was one thing, but my hand? That was _my_ popcorn! Steve side glanced at me and smiled just a bit before grabbing some popcorn from the bowl. _Is this him trying to be nice to me?_ I questioned to myself. Steve Rogers was being something other than hostile right now. I was in uncharted territory. I glanced around the room and saw Banner munching on his popcorn. Tony took sips from his drink and pulled out a bag of chips to snack on. Clint and Natasha were throwing popcorn at each other and chuckling to themselves quietly. They tried to see who could victoriously throw popcorn into each other's mouths first. Peter was texting someone on his phone and shoving popcorn in his face. Thor was missing, for he went to visit Jane for advice on what to do about the problem in Asgard. For some reason, this all felt oddly normal.

 

Two hours after the movie was over, Rogers, Tony and I were in Tony's lab. Tony said he wanted to work on his newest suit to work out the kinks so he was safe in it. He had destroyed a bunch of his suits not too long ago, so the only suit he had was the one he was currently working on. Tony needed it up and running now since there was a threat out there that could strike at any moment. Tony asked Jarvis to put something together and played with something on the table. "That movie was pretty interesting."

I pulled myself over onto the counter top and scoffed, "Interesting? I couldn't focus half of the time with Nat and Clint throwing stuff at me and Peter knocking his bony elbows against my legs on purpose."

"Movies now are way better than they were back then. I still miss the black and white, though." Steve commented and leaned against the counter across from me. It had been a weird night. He was nice to me the whole time and even nudged me from time to time to make sure I was still aware he was there. I had been completely annoyed with everyone that sometimes I forgot we were supposed to have a good time.

"I guess it just depends on when you grew up, Star Spangled Man with a Plan." Tony laughed and his brown eyes locked onto Steve to see his reaction. His hands fidgeted with the metal on the table and handed it to the small robot by his side to dispose.

Steve shook his head in dismay and genuinely smirked at the name. A glimmer of remembrance sparked in his eye and he looked up at both of us. "I haven't heard that name in a long time."

"My father used to put on those videos of you and left them on until it cycled through a few times. He never stopped talking about you." Tony paused and thought for a moment. His tongue ran along the back of his teeth and set both hands on the table. Thinking of his father was a tough thing to do. Howard Stark wasn't really a father at all, but Tony knew it was so he could create a future for his son. "He thought the world of you."

"Your father was a good man, Tony." Rogers said in almost a quiet tone. Remembering too much of the past made his chest hurt. He looked down at the floor with his blue eyes and bit his lip.

I swung my legs over the counter and noticed the awkward silence. I never wanted to be in a sadly sentimental moment like this. People needed moments like this in private, not with someone else in the room who couldn't relate at all. "Alright, enough with the sadness parade. I can't take anymore of this."

"What do you suggest we do then, Small Fry?" Tony stated in a playful tone.

 _Again with the nickname._ I rolled my eyes. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately since I have been here. What was I supposed to say? I just wanted the topic off of in depth emotions and memories. I tapped my fingers against the counter top and clicked my heels together. It was two in the morning and my eyes were starting to close. I had to stay alert. Had to stay awake. I hopped off and stood up. "I don't know. Maybe I should just head up for the night."

"Come on, Parker. You haven't done anything all day. Where's all your energy at?" Steve declared as he raised an eyebrow. He looked back up at me and playfully added, "Maybe you should come jog with me in the morning. Get your blood pumping."

I set one hand on my back to position myself straighter and shook my head. "Waking up early? Not my forte, Rogers." _Getting up early? What a joke!_ I laughed in my mind.

"I'll walk you to your room," Tony offered as he stepped away from his spot. I accepted his offer and we left Steve in the lab. Tony was going to head back after I left. They had some talking to do.

We walked down the hallway. We were about to turn the corner when Tony smacked my arm in an attempt to grab onto it and set his other hand to his heart. Barton was perched on a table around the corner like a hawk on a tree. His eyes were wide open and quietly sat there, waiting. His arms drooped down for his hands to hit the table. Tony waved a hand in front of his face and grimaced when he realized that Clint was sleeping. Tony regained himself and calmed his breathing. I nearly laughed from Tony's tiny scream, but I didn't want to ruin the moment. He pushed Clint into the wall and watched the alertness arise in his eyes.

Barton began to laugh whole heartedly and sat down on the table. "Scared easily, Stark?" I laughed along with him, not being able to contain myself. All I could see was the look of Tony's frightened face in the back of my mind.

"Go to sleep, Bird Brains." Tony continued to walk me to my room and bid me goodnight before heading back to Steve.


	14. Chapter 14

"Daddy!" I screamed. My eyes widened as I watched him twitch against his restraints.

His muscles spasmed and his head constantly hit his shoulder. His short brown hair nearly stood straight. My father's blue eyes almost popped out of his skull; excess spit dripped down the side of his chin and incoherent screams erupted from his throat. Soon, his jerking halted, and his body became limp. His eyes locked onto the ground and a pink substance oozed out of his ears.

I turned away from the horrid sight and to my mother, who was exhibiting the same petrified expression I was. Her mouth shut while her jaw locked in place. She blew her straight, stringy blonde hair out of her face. Mother's brown eyes fixated on me and sent me a gaze. It was the gaze she had always given me when I almost broke down. _Stay strong._ She had trained me to be tough, but that training wouldn't get me out of this situation.

"Now," William Stryker glided over to my mother and flicked a syringe, "it's your turn." He administered the fluid into my mother's veins. Her shrill scream filled my ears.

I shot up from my dream. I could still hear her cries ringing in my ears. Sweat beads made a trail down my face as gravity pulled them down. Memories flooded back into my mind like waves crashing on the shore. My blood pressure sky rocketed and my heart wouldn't stop racing. I wanted to break down and cry, but I knew I wouldn't be able to. I haven't been able to break down in months. Maybe it was a perk of leading the life that I do.

"Hey!" Steve whisper yelled. His hand rested on my arm as he sat down beside me. It was too dark in the room to see his face, but I knew all of his focus was on me. "What's wrong?"

My body overheated like the first day I had been tested on. Fire raced through my veins and cut my attention span in half. I squinted as my head pounded with a headache and barely cried out in pain. My heart raced faster and faster. _Thump. Thump._ "Rogers…"

"What's going on?" He put his hand on my arm, only to be burned by it. He retracted his hand quickly.

 _Thump. Thump._ My eyes widened as much as they could and I choked on a scream. I knew exactly what was happening. _Thump. Thump._ My arm was pulsating red from the liquid inside. "How can the substance destabilize? This isn't possible!" I cried out in shock. "My powers…my body can't handle it anymore…" My muscles began to twitch and soon, I couldn't control my actions. _Thump. Thump. Thump._ My body jerked around as Steve tried to hold me down. I could feel the substance moving up my arm, crawling through my neck, and into my brain. _Thump. Thump. Thump._ It burrowed itself in between the crevices and pinched every spot it passed by. The substance electrocuted my brain as if it were inside a microwave. The pain was unbearable, but I couldn't do anything to stop it. _Thump. Thump. Thu-_

"Parker!" Rogers spat in my face. My eyes shot open and I struggled against Steve, who was holding me down. He was sitting on me and tightening his grip on my wrists. "Are you alright?"

I stayed silent, trying to adjust my eyes to the pitch blackness. I still shook slightly and shivered from a cold sweat. _That was…a dream…_ Thoughts clouded my mind and I tried to weave through them. _Am I still dreaming? Am I finally awake?_

"Parker," Steve whispered after he got off of me.

I turned my head to him and brushed my damp hair back. I didn't have much breath and my chest heaved to get oxygen in my system. I was so entangled in my memories that I didn't even hear him speak. I managed to ask, "What?"

"What happened?" His voice was low, but had a hint of a caring tone. He moved to the side of the bed to give me some space.

I exhaled. "Just a nightmare…"

Steve snorted and put his back up against the metal headboard. "Yeah, well I could hear you from my room. You were jerking around so much that I had to hold you down before you broke something or hurt yourself."

A small chuckle pushed its way out of my throat before I could stop it, "Your room is next to mine. It's not that far." Talking to him was helping the memory fade away, but that dream…I died. My brain fried. I could feel it.

All of it.

It was like standing in an oven on extremely high while being electrocuted. _Don’t try that at home, kids…_

"That's not important." He was silent for a moment. "What did you dream about?"

Hours of stillness felt to have settled in within the next minute. My eyes focused, but it was not enough to see Steve's features. His outline was easy to spot against the white walls, but that was it. I put my head in my hands to think for a moment. _Do I tell him? He seems to care…_ I wiped the sweat off o my heated face and sat up. "My dad, I…uh…" my voice cracked, so I cleared my throat and continued, "I watched him die. I relived the moment."

I shared information with people willingly, unless I was undercover. Talking about this shouldn't have been difficult, but it was. I picked at the skin on my hands in a nervous manner. My intestines constricted at the memory. Steve waited patiently for the rest of the story and set his hand on my shoulder. I pushed down the bile rising in my throat. "The liquid that was injected into my system stabilized in my body. For my dad…" I paused and hung my head, "his body couldn't take it. The liquid heated up in his veins and fried his brain. Some of it even oozed out of his ears…" I trailed off. Tears weren't forming in my eyes, to my surprise. Maybe it had been so long now that I was numb to it. "I witnessed my mother go the same way. And then I dreamt that I followed in their paths…" I stared at the outline of my hands as he squeezed my shoulder in an attempt to comfort me. I could tell that he didn't know what to do.

A clueless Captain America…Huh. I wasn't used to that.

"I'm sorry. It's good that you're fighting with us and not taking revenge. Revenge is what gets most people killed."

I rolled my eyes, even if he couldn't see me do it. "I guess. Hard to take revenge when the guy that did it is already dead."

"You have a point." Steve stopped and noticed his hand lingering on my shoulder. He almost jerked it away, but rubbed my shoulder before taking it off in a not-so-freaked-out way. "Just…don't turn evil on us now, alright?"

I grinned a bit. It was too bad I couldn't see what expression he had on his face. He probably had on a sly smile. "Rogers, why are you being so nice to me?"

I heard him scratching my head and he cleared his throat. "Friendships have to start somewhere, right?"

I nodded, but then realized he couldn't see. I put my hand to my forehead and still felt like I was on the sun. I used my ice powers to emit a wave of cool air from my hand to drop my temperature. I really didn't know what else to talk about with him. We always bickered. I never thought we'd be getting along so quickly. "I don't know how I'm getting back to sleep now."

"I can try to tell you some stories about my past."

I snorted, "Yeah, complete Snoresville. That'll put me right to sleep."

Steve was taken aback and was offended, "Ouch."

I put my knees to my chest and laughed, "Just kidding! Gosh, don't you know when I use sarcasm yet?"

"Yeah, it's like a baby version of sarcasm compared to Tony's," he shot back in a playful tone.

I smacked his arm lightly and stated, "Hey, that's not nice. I thought you were supposed to be the nicest guy on the planet, Rogers."

"I don't have to be nice to you, Parker," he pointed out in a Matter-Of-Fact tone.

"It wouldn't kill you, now would it?" I questioned. His deep laugh registered in my ears. I hadn't heard him laugh like that before, so being the person that made him do that made me feel…special. Maybe it could be like this all the time. We could get along, hang out, and clearly, still bicker. It would be nice. Peaceful, even. Something in my chest heated up and my stomach started going crazy with butterflies. _Oh god…_ My eyes closed at the thought of it. _Am I liking Steve Rogers?_

"Hello?" Steve nudged me a bit to get my attention.

My train of thoughts broke into shambles. "Yeah?"

He leaned forward to show I had his full attention. "Are you alright?"

I pushed my feelings aside. I didn't have time for them right now. It was just premature feelings. Nothing special. "Of course. Now, let me hear those stories."

Hours passed as we exchanged memories. Rogers told me stories of when he used to hang out with his best friend when they were growing up. They did some crazy stuff, especially after Steve became Captain America. The plans this guy had during the war was insane, but very strategic at the same time. All of it was definitely insane enough to work. He went on informing me about the prank week the Avengers had when they first built the tower.

Natasha and Clint teamed up to punk Peter. Thor put some pop tarts into the toaster, and Bruce messed with the timer to put it on its highest setting. Thor threw his cup when he realized his food was burnt to a crisp. Steve painted Clint's bow and arrows pink, while Peter aided him in dying Clint's clothes to match. When Clint saw everything, he put everything on and strutted down the hallway like a runway. He worked it. Then, he said he hated all of them and went back to his room to fix it. Tony ended up pushing Bruce down the stairs to make him angry, which completely destroyed the tenth story to the tower. That was when the fun ended.

I wanted to ask about Peggy, but it took all of my willpower not to. I knew he wouldn't feel comfortable talking about her to someone he barely knew. Plus, Steve wasn't the one to kiss and tell. I hung on to every word he said, and he did the same to me when my turn came along to tell some stories. I told him about the time Bobby and I froze all of the student's rooms in the middle of the night so they would be cold. Professor Xavier did not take that too lightly.

Logan taught me how to ride a motorcycle, but I crashed it soon after. After it was fixed, Kitty Pryde and I took it for a joy ride. We had to get out of the school. There was too much drama going on at the time. Drama was just something everyone of all species had to go through. Kitty stepped on the gas a little too much and we wiped out. She had bruises for days, but the bike was fine.

There was also a time when Wade Wilson made a few thousand pancakes over night that completely filled the cafeteria. We had leftovers for months. Not even all of the mutants in the school could finish it. Then, Wade took over a taco stand and hand made chimichangas for everyone. Talk about a giant stomach ache.

Soon, it was sunrise. The orange light coming in from the window painted itself on the white walls of my room. The black furniture seemed to regain its shine and brightened up the room. I glanced over at Steve, who was staring at me. His short blonde hair was messy on the side. His sky blue eyes twinkled in the light and a smirk formed on his lips.

 _Seriously?_ I thought to myself. _I can't get all lovey dovey now. Keep it together, Parker. Sheesh._ "Thanks for staying up with me," I grinned.

"It's no problem. I couldn't sleep anyway." He moved a bit before asking, "You want to help me make breakfast for everyone?"

I furrowed my brow. "I'm pretty sure they don't like waking up around five in the morning."

"That's the idea," he got off of the bed and walked towards my door. When he saw I wasn't following, he added, "You coming?"

Oh, this was going to be good.

"As long as you play your music extra loud on the speakers, I think we're going to have an amazing time."


	15. Chapter 15

Peter threw the books on his desk to the floor. Some of the books ricocheted off of the floor and knocked the lamp over. A loud crash followed soon after, breaking the silence that settled. Peter's glasses fell off of his nose and onto the floor where everything had landed. His chest heaved as he exhaled loudly through his mouth. His fingers curled up into fists and faced the wall, not willing to let me see him in his angered state. I had just told him about what happened to my parents, which caused him to go into a rage. It took him a few minutes to control his actions and regain his composure. He grit his teeth, “Who did this to you?”

I clasped my hands together and crossed my legs. I wanted to wait until he calmed down fully, but I knew he wouldn’t wait. When Peter was angry, he needed the answers up front, otherwise he would storm off. I reluctantly answered, “William Stryker, but he’s already dead.”

“Damn…" He tugged at strands of his hair and leaned his head on the wall. "I _hate_ people like that. People that just plain out hurt others. I couldn't do anything to help you. I couldn't save you from that pain. I couldn't…I didn't even know you were alive, Lilly."

"Peter, it happened. So what? What's the big deal? It's in the past!" I exclaimed in a stressed tone. Maybe he didn't want to let that go. _Does he blame himself for this? We were kids, for God's sake. He couldn't have done anything about it._ I thought to myself. I picked at my skin to try to keep myself calm. Getting out of hand was something that we didn't need right now. Fighting was enough.

Peter choked in between words, "What's the big deal?" He had to regain himself before he regurgitated some lame argument or something that would hurt both of our feelings. He paused for a long time before continuing, "The big deal is every day that I wake up, I pray to God that you're still here. Sometimes, remembering that you're not dead sheds some light into my life. You're the only member of my family that can protect themselves. The only one I can talk to about literally _anything_. Yeah, I've gone through a rough few years, but I'm _afraid_ , Lilly." He stopped talking and closed his eyes. Peter rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm afraid that one day I'll wake up and realize this was all a dream. Some concocted fantasy my mind made up while I'm in a coma from a terrible accident that happened while on a mission. What if I wake up and you aren't there?"

A mental needle stuck its way into my heart. His words hurt, and showed the weaker side that I hadn't seen a lot of. He was afraid. Afraid of losing someone else. The fear of death was strong in all of these people in the Avengers tower, but not a lot of them were willing to admit it. It shows that they are weak if they say it, but that's not the truth. It just means they have come to terms with death. "Peter, I'm real. I'm not going to suddenly pick up my stuff and leave unless all of the other Avengers wanted me to. I doubt they would do that though. They love you too much to do that, Peter. I'm always going to be here for you, even if we're miles apart. This isn't a dream."

I picked up Peter's glasses and examined them. He definitely needed them for his vision, but this moment got me thinking. When he had his glasses on, he was the sarcastic, nerdy Peter everyone knew and loved. He was happy, comedic, strong willed. Oh, and did I mention sarcastic? When the glasses came off, it revealed another side of him. The anger, the depression, the mental fight he has between his emotions and staying strong for the sake of his sanity. He was a completely different person. The glasses were just a mask. Or maybe they transformed him back to his regular self. _Is that what my glasses do to me?_ I pondered.

"It's people like Stryker that make me think they can just take away my family from me. I won't ever see them again. That's why I was so angry. So…terrified. I can't let that happen again."

I blurted out without thinking, "Wolverine killed him. It's over. Done. The past. End of conversation." I just wanted to talk about something else. Something that would bring us together, not pull us apart. We had been apart for so long. So _very_ long. Hearing all of those words come from Peter put us on a whole new level in our friendship. He opened up to me, something a lot of people didn't do on this level of private pent up emotions. I wanted to hear more, but this conversation was breaking my heart.

Adrenaline still pumped through his veins, but it was at the slowing point. He quickly reverted back to the other conversation for the need of emphasis. He pointed at me, but retracted his hand and wanted to point again. "And you're sure he's dead?"

"You don't know what _end of conversation_ means, do you?" I rolled my eyes and huffed. He was too adamant when it came to knowing the truth, but it was something I admired in him. I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes. "I watched him die with my own eyes. He's dead. Gone. Never to come back."

"Good." Peter fixed up his room a bit by cleaning up the mess he made. His blood pressure dropped and soon he was back to his stable self. He stopped abruptly and dropped his books onto his desk. "Wait…you said Wolverine killed him. Like, _the_ Wolverine?” Peter turned to me and a twinkle came to his eye. From this point, I knew I had the red herring to change the conversation to a different topic. I nodded, which was the only signal he needed for him to keep talking. He sat down in his desk chair. Peter almost shook from excitement. “I’ve been trying to meet him for years! He’s my hero.”

I smiled shyly at the memories that passed through my mind. Knowing that other people looked up to Logan like I did made me happy. He was one of the most caring people I have ever met. “He took me in after what happened…”

Peter quietly squealed to himself. The shocked expression mixed with exhilaration could be clearly seen on his face now. His brown eyes lit up and he rubbed his hands down his face. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” When I just raised an eyebrow in question of what he meant, he elaborated. “Were you raised at Xavier’s School for the Gifted?”

“Where do you think I learned to control my powers?” I asked him, but all he returned was a shrug. I bit my lip in remembering the journey I took to get to where I am now. The sadness, heartbreak, family, it all registered back into my brain like it was just yesterday it all happened. I glanced at the ground and lowered my tone. “They helped me get through a lot. They gave me somewhere to stay. A path to follow towards my future.”

Peter had fully calmed down and sunk back into his chair. His face fell, remembering why the books were on the floor in the first place. “I guess we shouldn’t look at the past. I’m sorry for getting angry.”

Before I could answer, a commotion rose from the other room. Peter and I looked at each other in an alarmed state before running out there. Everyone was hugging each other in a group hug while tears streamed down their faces. They clung onto each other, cries of joy and celebration erupting from their throats. Peter and I raised our eyebrows and stood in the corner of the room. I pushed up my glasses before they fell off and waited until the cry fest was over.

Thor let go first and backed up into one of the couches. He stumbled before he caught himself and wiped a tear from his dry cheek. “I saw you die. How did you survive?”

The group dispersed to reveal Agent Phil Coulson in the middle. His small blue eyes wandered around the group as a smile plastered itself to his face. He fixed the small amount of brown hair on his head and wrinkles nearly formed on his forehead. It seemed like he was under a lot of stress. Coulson's black suit seemed freshly ironed and his shoes shined. "Magic," he responded.

Thor tilted his head in confusion. Natasha and Clint squinted their eyes in unison. Bruce leaned up against the wall, while Tony crossed his arms over his chest. Steve raised an eyebrow. Peter and I stood idly by, just waiting for introductions.

Phil shook his head at our sad sense of humor and continued, "Long story short: Fury's test worked. I'm standing here today because of him." His blue eyes glimpsed at Peter and I. "I'm afraid we haven't met. Agent Phil Coulson," he held out a hand.

Peter shook his hand. "Peter Parker."

"I know who you are," Coulson assured him. His eyes locked on mine and almost squinted. "I'm not too sure who you are."

"Lilly Parker, Peter's cousin," I introduced myself. He didn't hold out his hand to shake mine, so I stood back and bowed my head a bit. It was a bit too formal for my taste, but I couldn't think of anything else to do. _He seems to have a lot of influence on the team. Better play my cards right if I don't want anything to go wrong._ I thought. Everybody looked at us, but Coulson wouldn't say anything. It seemed like he was analyzing me, like some sort of memory popped back into his mind from long ago.

Barton sat down on one of the couches. He sunk down and continued to drink the cup of coffee he had brewed up earlier. His baby blue eyes looked up from his cup up at Coulson, "What do you do for a living now?"

"I'm surprised Fury hasn't told you." Coulson sat down in a single chair and clasped his hands together. His elbows rested on his knees. "I'm the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. now. I can't stay long because I have important things to tend to."

Steve stepped forward an inch before remembering Coulson was a friend, not an enemy. He held back and knit his eyebrows together. "Fury promised S.H.I.E.L.D. would die with the fall of Hydra."

"Hydra didn't exactly fall. They just scattered around the world like chickens with their heads cut off," Coulson replied quickly.

Clint gasped and choked on his coffee. Natasha patted his back and hushed him. He cleared his throat and said in a hoarse voice, "Sorry."

 _I think I read somewhere that Barton has a farm…_ I trailed off in thought.

Coulson continued, "Fury didn't tell me anything other than that I am in charge."

Steve scoffed and whispered to himself, "Fury has a knack for that…"

"Now, for the reason I came here for…" He pulled out a flash drive and handed it to Tony, who gladly took it and hooked it up to the laptop on the counter. "We have a situation on our hands. Red Skull has a partner he's working with to finish Schmidt's original objective: making the world submissive to him. We believe the partner in on it is none other than Loki himself."

Thor's eyes darkened and he sagged against the wall he leaned against. His head hung in despair as memories flashed through his mind. "That's not possible. Loki's dead. He died in my arms."

Coulson shook his head and began to say, "There's a-"

Thor became defensive and quickly angered. He turned red and his nostrils flared. He raised his voice, which echoed against the walls, "I saw him die! He said he died for me because he's still my brother on the inside!"

The room remained silent until Tony pulled up the information on the drive and cracked his knuckles. He snapped a bit before he threw the files from the screen out into the air via projector. He skimmed some documents before reaching the pictures. "Hate to break it to you, Point Break, but Phil is right." He enlarged a video dated earlier that week hiding behind a file and played it.

Loki was on screen in his black leathery clothes adorned with golden armor plates attached to his overcoat. His golden horned helmet sat on his head with his slicked back hair sticking out in the ends. Loki's greenish-blue eyes narrowed as a mischievous smile formed on his slender pale face. He commanded to the crowd in front of him in a loud, booming voice, "Bow down to the new King of Asgard." Loki hit his staff against the ground to make everyone obey his orders. Hundreds of people kneeled down and hung their heads in fear. Tony stopped the video before they saw him do anything else.

"Believe me now?" Coulson spoke up. He looked at Thor, whose eyes were stuck onto the screen. He reached out to touch the picture of his brother's face, but his hand ghosted through the projection.

"Loki could have the army they're testing the serum on," Natasha brought up that point. She leaned forward on the couch and looked up at Thor. She didn't reveal any possible emotions she could be feeling, which unsettled a lot of people.

"That's crazy. The only army he could have is…" Thor's face blanked as he trailed off. His muscles tensed up and his hands clenched into fists. The more seconds that passed by, the angrier he got.

Steve rubbed his eyes and crossed his arms. His flat tone was doused in sarcasm, "The Asgardian army. That's great." He massaged his neck with one hand and formed an expression on his face that was too tired to handle another End-of-the-World scenario.

Bruce chipped in after running his hands through his graying hair, "What, does he have them under a spell?"

"Probably. He had Clinton under a spell once; I wouldn't be surprised if he did it to an army," Thor declared in a low voice.

Barton cringed upon hearing his full name. He had gotten rid of the ending a long time ago a little bit after the incident with his brother.

Coulson stood up and wiped the creases out of his suit. He said, "Maybe we need to step up our game. I've heard training can clear your mind. We could get great ideas out of it." He walked out of the room.

Natasha, Peter, Clint and I collectively groaned. Stark and Banner laughed at us as they walked out. They viewed themselves as strong enough, since Stark had suits and Banner only needed to be in his Hulk form to fight.

Rogers got a hint of excitement that shown through his eyes. He nudged Peter slightly and stated, "Come on guys. This could be fun."

We groaned again in unison. Thor walked out and into the elevator to go get some air. He needed to think about everything he just learned. I rubbed my chin and lingered behind everyone as they filed out of the room. _Maybe this time we can finally put an end to Loki and Red Skull's reign. We could save the world and end them. Maybe…_


	16. Chapter 16

The cold training room was about to heat up.

Natasha and Clint were up first.

Tasha smiled devilishly at Clint as she cracked her knuckles and neck. Her short red hair was set behind her ears as her parakeet shaded eyes focused on him. She stretched in her gray tank top and black shorts and yawned. Fighting was one thing. Training? That was like child's play to her. But, for Coulson's sake, she agreed.

Barton walked up to the mat and made sure his brown shirt was tucked underneath his blue gym shorts. It was better than the ends of his shirt flying around and distracting him. He hesitated. He wanted to avoid training against Natasha. She grew up with fighting, which was something he couldn't match. His light blue eyes watched her carefully, attempting to study the first move she was going to make. He knew her tactics. All he had to do was apply them. He closed his eyes and put his hands together, silently trying to find his inner ferocity. Clint exhaled loudly and took in every sound of the room. _Grunts. Breathing. Papers fluttering. Shoes squeaking. Something being punched._

He was in the zone now. Everything had registered within his mind.

Natasha acted first. She threw her fist at Clint's rib cage, but he quickly arced his back to dodge it. He retaliated, aiming his fists at her, but she deflected every single. This went on for about a minute before Tasha decided to spice things up. She kicked him in the chest and made him fly into the wall. Clint groaned, but picked himself up. He was stronger than this. The funny thing was Natasha already knew that. She could tell he wasn't fighting with all of his energy. Otherwise, she'd have to wrestle him to the ground in an attempt not to knock him out or kill him. She backed him into a corner and waited.

They stared intently at each other for a few seconds, just standing there and taking in the moment. The training session went by in a flash, but they could only do so little to each other. They already knew one another's moves. It was difficult not to predict what was coming at them next. Their chests heaved and sweat dripped down their faces. Clint wiped the sweat off of his face as a distraction and swept her off of her feet with a swift kick to the shin. Natasha growled as she hit the floor. He bounced off of the wall onto the other side of her, making sure she didn't have the opportunity to grab him in mid-air. Barton waited patiently for Romanoff to get off her arse and continue training.

Nat didn't want to go all out and hurt him. She would do more damage than she would hope to. So, thinking logically, she got up and elbowed him in the stomach. He hunched over, allowing her to grab his arm and twist it behind his back. Clint yelled out in pain; his first thought was how he would get out of it.

Barton twisted his arm farther and popped it out of place. To Natasha's surprise, he got free of her hold by rolling away. He grabbed his arm and put it back into its socket so fluidly that it almost seemed like he did that every day. Natasha grimaced at his actions, which only made Clint's lips curl up into a smile. He loved making her cringe. It was something that couldn't be done everyday. His fist came in contact with her nose, making her jerk backwards a bit. Clint covered his mouth slightly with his hands in shock. "Oh, Natasha, I did-"

Natasha grabbed him and body slammed him into the ground. The sound of his body hitting the floor thundered through the large room and echoed against the walls. She grunted and wiped the blood trail falling from her nose.

Clint stayed on the ground to catch his breath a bit and picked himself up. He nearly fell over, but grabbed a hold of the wall next to him. He huffed, “I’m remembering a much simpler time. The good ol’ days when…oh wait. That was this morning when I was in bed. And that’s where you’ll find me if you need me.” Barton stumbled out of the room on the hunt for his bed.

Natasha jumped back and forth in her spot to keep herself energized and ready to fight. Her short red hair flew about her, one second behind her motions. She held her fists up to her abdomen and panted. Her emerald eyes locked onto mine and she motioned for me to come over. “Come on, Lilly. Get on the mat.”

My eyes widened and I shook my head. Getting my ass kicked by her? That’s something I did not want to try. She excelled in hand-to-hand combat. I wasn’t. “You’re going to beat me in a heartbeat if I don’t use my powers.”

“You can’t rely on your powers every time,” she pointed out. “Jump in.”

I glanced over at Peter, who was sitting in a chair next to me. He wore a white shirt with black gym shorts. He hated the idea of training. All he wanted to do was go to his room and do some research about biophysics. Peter’s brown eyes looked out into the distance before realizing the fight was over. He nervously played with his hands, which was a tell tail sign he was remembering something from the past. He ruffled his short brown hair and picked up on what was going on.

He nodded to me, so I reluctantly started walking over to the mat. I straightened out my red shirt and white sweat pants to make sure they were on tight enough. I didn’t want to be in the middle of the fight and have my clothes create unwanted friction to my movements.

I noticed Steve in the corner of the room taking on a punching bag. He had ruined two bags in the hour alone, which was scary to think of how many people he could take out within that time. That would be something fun to watch. His short blonde hair flopped with every swing he took. Sometimes, he added in a few kicks to change it up a bit. Steve’s blue eyes focused on the bag with such ferocity that I was sure he was imagining someone he hated as the punching bag. Sweat stained his navy blue shirt and black sweats, but weren’t as noticeable as I thought it would have been. He shook out his hand when it burned from the punching, but quickly got back into it seconds later.

I passed by Coulson, who was sitting quietly on a chair, observing us. He put both feet on the ground and leaned forward. His baby blue eyes followed my every move. “Why are you here?”

I turned my head to him and pointed a finger at myself after I reached Natasha. “Me?” He nodded, so I continued, “Because my cousin is here and I want to help them make this world a better place.” Natasha threw the first punch, and I easily blocked it.

That was just the warm up.

She kicked her foot towards my chest, making me back away to just barely miss being hit. Romanoff leaned forward and punched me in the ribs. I held my ground and returned a blow that she quickly blocked. Nat twisted my arm and I cried out in pain. I kicked her in the shin and spun around to deliver a shot to her shoulder. She regained her stance and connected her fist to my jaw. I stumbled backwards, but held myself up.

Coulson continued the conversation as we fought, “Get in line, honey. There are thousands more like you.”

“You don’t know what I am,” I shot back and deflected a shot to my leg. My focus had to remain on Tasha, but Coulson knew he could distract me. My fists flew at her, but she blocked every move with her arms. I was limited to in fighting and couldn't go to the fullest extent and knock her unconscious. We were strictly working on fighting. Natasha's fist crashed against my rib cage, knocking the air out of my lungs. I groaned and stumbled a bit before retaliating with a kick to the back of the leg.

He declared, “August 24th, 1996, you were at…”

I cut him off, “How do you know where I was?” I immediately stopped fighting, receiving a blow to my arm. Natasha halted her actions when she saw I quit and cocked her head slightly. I turned fully to Coulson and narrowed my eyes.

“We always have an eye on people. Is that a shock to you?” He questioned and furrowed his brow a bit. He unwrinkled his suit as he stood up to meet my height, even though he was taller than me.

I knew he wanted to be intimidating, but I was trying so hard not to go up to him and fight him right there and then. Anger coursed through my body, causing my heart to beat much faster than it already was. “You saw what was happening, and yet you didn’t do anything about it?” I talked with my hands, expressing how furious I was. I wiped the sweat off of my brow.

Coulson’s facial expression was calm and cool. Sometimes it was really difficult for anyone to break that. His eyes weren’t gleaming anymore, but rather had a dullness to them. “I wasn’t the one in charge. I tried to get Fury to take action, but he didn’t. I was under orders not to take it into my own hands.”

Peter jumped up from his chair along the wall and hopped into the conversation, “Out of everything else you don’t follow, you chose to follow that order?”

“It was before my risk taking era. You don’t know what it is like to be working directly under Fury. So try putting yourself in my shoes,” he challenged.

I pointed at him and scowled. “In your shoes? You don’t know how I felt. You don’t know what it’s like to be in  _my_ shoes. To watch my parents die from some fucking test and then have my life changed forever by being able to copy another mutant’s powers just by touching them was a nightmare from the beginning. Try having that serum in you, changing your body temperatures drastically for hours. Then you can tell me how it’s impacted your life and why you’re here.” I forced myself not to get all up in his face and began to walk out. “Don’t ask me why I’m here. Just be glad I’m on your side.”

“I want to see you here bright and early tomorrow morning for training,” he called out from behind me. His tone of voice hadn’t changed at all. He didn’t care about my story or what I went through. He talked to me like a trouble maker or just another kid on the street.

I unclenched my fists in an attempt to let go of the hate and anger. Getting on his bad side wasn’t going to help me, but I had to clear my mind before I saw him again. Maybe I would understand his side of the story.

Maybe I wouldn’t.

I was going to stay with the Avengers, even if it meant putting up with Agent Coulson.

“Yes sir,” I replied before I left the room.


	17. Chapter 17

One of the easiest things just became one of the most difficult.

 _Whole wheat, white, flat, rolls, or…?_ I fixated my eyes on the list that I held in my hand. Nowhere on it did it say what type of bread they wanted. I cried out in frustration, grabbed the first thing I saw on the shelf, and added it to the cart. After countless times of stopping to think of a brand, the food type, or whatever, I was growing tired of being at the supermarket. It was a small place with isles close together and only so few workers at the cash registers. The white tiled floors were smeared with black marks from the scratches the shelving units left behind and the yellow walls faded into a sickly white.

I met Clint in isle eight where he was choosing breakfast cereals. He stood out wearing his light brown leather jacket, red shirt, and black pants. Other than the boxes, he was the only color to the isle. His face was blank and his sky blue eyes glazed over. It seemed like the choices were dulling the whole 'bonding' experience Natasha wanted us to have. Clint and I thought it was a dumb idea, but here we were. He appeared dumbfounded when he glimpsed down at his list and asked me with a chuckle, "Tony says get cereal. Steve wants something healthy. Thor wants pop-tarts. God, these guys aren't specific with anything, are they?"

"Right? They can't leave choices like this to us." I replied. We had crossed out most of our list, which consisted of the big dinner for tonight and some minor meals for the rest of the week.

He looked up and down the isle before grabbing a box of Fruity Pebbles and threw it into the cart. "Nat likes these. Let's go."

"Barton, you can't just get wha-" My eyes landed on the contents within his hands and stopped midsentence. Mostly everything was just for him and Tasha alone to eat. "Really?"

Barton shrugged like he wasn't guilty of anything. "Hey, you try shopping for them."

"I just did." I pointed at the items I chose as I listed who they were for. "Tony wanted peanuts to snack on; Steve likes his Neapolitan ice-cream and candy for his sweet tooth; Bruce has yogurt, crackers, berries, and sugar-coated snacks; Tasha asked nicely for chips and some salsa; I have cookies; oh, and how could I forget, here's your mini donuts." I felt completely accomplished for such a simple task. I couldn't decide if that was a good thing or the exact opposite.

Telling from his face, he seemed pretty impressed. Clint rolled his eyes and dumped everything into the cart. "I got everything Nat and I would ever need."

I scoffed, "Of course. I'm not surprised." I followed him to the check out line and put everything on the small conveyer belt.

The cashier rang it all up while checking her freshly done pink polished nails. The woman was plump and her dark skin appeared smooth against the makeup she had on. Her curly black hair was tied into a big bun on the back of her head and her honey shaded eyes focused on the screen in front of her. "That will be $246.37. Will you be using cash or credit?"

Clint's eyes widened upon hearing the total and looked into his wallet. He only had a few bucks in there, and even then, he didn't have a card to charge everything to. "That's a bummer…" he trailed off quietly. His blue eyes glanced back up at the cashier and smiled handsomely. "Could I get an Avengers discount? I saved the world, you know."

The woman looked him in the eye and her lips formed a tight line before stating, "No."

Barton's face fell and crossed his arms over his chest. He leaned up against the small wall between the cashiers' booths. "Well, this is…Hawkward."

I began to laugh quite loudly. That was a first, especially coming from him. He was in the phase to crack a joke on a pun on his name or the first thing he sees on the internet everyday. Usually, people would find that annoying, but I did quite enjoy his attempts of thinking about saying something that's actually hilarious. "That was actually funny, Clint." I took Natasha's debit card out of my wallet. Tasha knew Clint wouldn't have any money, or at least enough to pay for everything.

"You know, I'm actually hilarious all of the time. You just came to terms with it now," he remarked and put on his sunglasses. He pushed the cart out of the store and lead the way to the his car.

He stopped at the 2015 Volkswagen GTI and popped the trunk. It was one of Tony's newest purchases, but he gave it to Clint as a present for almost shooting his eye out once in the lab. All mishaps put aside, he quite liked the car, from what I heard. We were putting the grocery bags in the trunk when some teenagers passed by us.

They collectively yelled, "You rock, Hawkeye!"

Clint turned around and bowed. "Thank you, thank you." It all went well until the groceries in his hand fell out of the bag and crashed onto the pavement. "Aw, groceries…" He pouted as he picked them up and tossed them into the car.

I giggled to myself and finished loading the car. Going out shopping was a silly idea, but it turned out alright. We didn't fight the whole time, and it gave us some space from the tower. Things were getting tense in there. No one really left the tower to do anything other than check on leads with Loki. We were constantly on the alert and only had rare occurrences where we would wind down for a bit and do something fun.

I pushed the cart back into the cart return and walked up to the passenger side door, only to find Clint in the seat already. I cocked my head a bit and looked at him curiously. "You're not driving?"

He rested his head against the seat and groaned, "I literally _just_ sat down."

"Fine. I didn't think you'd actually let me drive your car."

Clint handed me the keys. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get in the car."

We joked around here and there and made snarky remarks, but other than that, we didn't have anything to talk about. After five minutes of us sitting in utter silence, he spoke up, "I am actually starting to enjoy your company."

"That's something I never thought I'd hear from you, Barton," I responded in a low tone. "Finally warming up to me and my awesomeness?"

He chuckled and put his elbow against the car door. He ran his fingers over his lips and chin as he thought for a moment. His eyes focused on the road, but he kept side-glancing at me. "Nat seems to like you a lot. So I guess I have to like you too."

I rolled my eyes. _Mental Note: I seem to be rolling my eyes more frequently than I should_. "You can have a different opinion than her."

"I know." He rubbed his hands on his thighs and sighed. "I just like agreeing with her on things. Having different opinions than Natasha gets pretty nasty if we get into a fight."

I choked on a laugh. I couldn't tell if this was an inappropriate time to laugh, so I caught it just in case. I was finally getting along with Clint. Didn't want to wreck it now. "I don't doubt it."

Clint quickly changed the subject to something other than his relationship. "How are you getting along with Steve?"

"Pretty well, actually. I'm still surprised we can get along more now." I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the song inside of my head. The wind blew my curly brown hair out of my face and I felt like I was in front of a big fan on a filming set. My hazel eyes glimpsed at Clint from time to time to try to analyze him. See what he was thinking. Feeling. Most of it was just a big dead end.

Something was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't figure it out for a few minutes. He sat there stretched back and relaxed and contemplated on something. He snapped his fingers and drummed his hands against his legs for some reason. Distractions never helped in his case. "I see the way he looks at you sometimes."

"Oh yeah? How?" I lifted the corners of my mouth a bit. I pushed my glasses up farther on my nose to make sure I could see the road better. I wanted to be prepared for the shock. This information was something new from the old drama drab Peter and I would gossip about. Something fresh to create new thoughts. Spring new memories to be made. New inside jokes. New…emotions?

His blue eyes gazed directly at me and his voice sounded like a soft velvet. He was remembering something. "I used to look at Natasha like that when I first developed feelings for her."

I stayed completely calm. _Don't blush._ "Must be nice to see him that way." On the inside, though, I was choking on butterflies. It had been a long time since I liked someone, especially someone without mutant abilities.

"Yeah. Just don't ruin it, Parker."

I gripped the steering wheel a bit more. I would never want to ruin any potential happiness for myself. I was long overdue for quite a bit of it. "I'm not. But we also have bigger things at hand. I guess it just depends on him and if we have time to…see where this could take us before shit hits the fan."

Clint nodded and turned away. He watched the trees and the other cars as we passed by, trying to find something else to take up his attention. A thought popped into his mind. "Can we stop for some coffee?"

"That's going to be your fifth cup today, and it's not even noon!"

"I know. Didn't sleep well last night is all," he answered and scratched his chin.

I furrowed my brow. I truly had thought he slept more than most of us in a twenty-four hour period. Guess I was wrong. "Why?"

"I just didn't. For a while now, I'll sleep for an hour and wake up. I'll stay awake for two hours and repeat the process until dawn. I'm used to being on my toes or on a mission. And with Loki and Red Skull loose, I don't know if I have the capability to not sleep with one eye open."

 _Most of us are the same way. You're not alone, Barton._ Thoughts swam through my mind and for a second, I got lost in them. _The endgame is clear: world domination. What's not clear is when they're going to strike, and how they'll go about executing it._ I bit my lip. _If it comes down to the point where I have to give up my life, I will. Everyone will vote against it, but it'll be my choice. Going out in a blaze of glory was always the plan if it meant I would save thousands of lives._ I came back to reality and made a U-turn at the next stoplight. I nodded in an understanding way. "I get it. It happens. Let's get you some coffee, Hawkeye."


	18. Chapter 18

"You're just jealous because you cannot lift Mjolnir," Thor retaliated jokingly. Him and Clint were having a light argument about how the lifting trick worked. To put it simply: there was no trick. That's what angered Barton the most.

He grew up in the circus, so he knew almost every con in the book. Magic was really just an allusion. Circuses? Get real. Those places were moving robbers that treated a lot of its members like slaves. Even if there was a miracle which made everyone under equal ruling, there was always one con artist who took advantage of the money. Barton took a sip of his coffee before spouting, "Whatever, man. The first time I saw you, you were crying like a baby because you couldn't lift it."

"It's true. I was there," Coulson added. He took a bite out of his steak and watched the two men settle down. His blue eyes switched back and forth between them. He needed to be ready just in case one of them lashed out on the other. Sometimes, even superheroes didn't get along. Coulson knows that with the Avengers, it's more than sometimes. These people had vast differences, but opposites attract. They all have specific skill sets to bring to the table and makes the team well rounded. He wiped his mouth with a napkin. "We've been talking about Thor's magical hammer for the past half hour. There is always another challenge for all of you to accomplish. I would love to see how many of you could throw Captain America's shield properly."

Everyone leaned back in their chairs and either chuckled or scoffed. Now _this_ was going to be fun.

Natasha got in on the conversation and swayed her fork with her hand motions, "Well, we all know I can do it."

"Yeah, after we practiced with it," Steve declared with a small smirk. Natasha kicked him from underneath the table. He scrunched his nose up when he winced and rubbed his leg. Not all superheroes were naturally talented at everything. Practice makes perfect.

"I don't think it's going to be that hard. It's literally a frisbee," Peter joined in. He buttered the bread that was in his hand and glanced at everyone. No one said anything for a few seconds because they were too busy eating.

Tony finished his food and set the fork down on the plate. He pointed at Steve, "If Capsicle can do it, then I can too."

"Those are some high expectations, Tony," Banner shook his head. He had already finished four full plates of food. I don’t know where he puts all of it, but he scarves it down like it's the end of the world. When the day comes where he can't have as much food as he wants, I really hope I'm not there to see it. That will be a day of heartbreak and, of course, him getting angry. I hadn't seen him turn big and green up close and personal, but that was last on my bucket list.

Stark pretended to be offended and put a hand to his chest. His brown eyes widened a bit and focused on Bruce. He scoffed, "If Cupid over there can throw the shield right without any practice, so can I."

"Hey, Cupid is taking it too far," Clint defended himself. His baby blue eyes locked onto Tony's brown ones in slight offense. Tony had a way with nicknames, but seriously, he went overboard sometimes.

I watched the events unfold from my seat. Different conversations started up and soon, it was difficult keeping up with all of it. A few argued, others laughed. Everything was normal, though. That was the odd thing. The Avengers always bickered and joked around. It was just how they were. It really surprised me how well they worked together, even with all of that piled on. Scratch out fun from earlier. _This_ was going to turn out to be an epic argument that will turn out in either blood, sweat, tears, or all three combined. I giggled to myself, "Yeah, Big Bird has feelings, Tony."

Clint glared in my direction and Natasha moved her hand underneath the table. He turned to look at her and nodded subtly. She calmed him down in just a few seconds, which from what I had seen, was a personal record. Nat glanced around and asked, "What about you, Phil? You ever think about trying it?"

Everyone turned to look at Coulson. He cleared his throat and slyly smiled, "I tried it when we first found Rogers in the ice." He paused his story and waited a few seconds. All of us gave him a look of anticipation, like we were waiting for the end of his story. Something terrible had to have happened. "Needless to say…an agent had to go to the emergency room. It bounced off of the wall and hit him right in the neck."

"I really hope it was a Hydra agent undercover," Tony stated bluntly.

Steve nodded in agreement. Hydra infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. after World War II and grew within it. No one even knew until Alexander Pierce sent agents to kill Director Fury. Now, Coulson was in the process of rebuilding the company from the ground up. "How are you doing with being the director?" Steve asked with a slight hint of seriousness. He was still angry that Fury went behind his back and didn't leave S.H.I.E.L.D. in the trash with Hydra.

Then again, he thought Hydra would stay dead this time.

Apparently, that wasn't the case.

"It's difficult, but I can see why Fury kept so many secrets. Hard to trust people nowadays," Coulson started off saying. He glanced at his expensive black watch and raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised May hasn't called me yet. She usually very punctual."

"May? I remember May. She's a really sweet person," Natasha recalled. She moved a strand of red hair out of her face and put it behind her ear. Her emerald green eyes flickered from Barton to Coulson a few times. "She kicks serious ass, too."

Coulson laughed a bit and rubbed his chin. He had to think for a moment before he said anything. "She has her moments. Unfortunately, she's been more serious lately." His phone began to ring in his pocket, which immediately alarmed him. He stumbled to answer the phone as it blared the song "Star Spangled Man."

Steve cringed at the memory that popped into his mind. Those were the days where he was dressed in tights and serving his country in a way that he never expected. I could just see it in his eyes. The hurt. The pain. The agony of not being able to fight alongside his best friend. He looked away while Tony started up a funny conversation about Steve's early days and told stories that his father had passed down to him about it. In my opinion, they were quite funny and adorable. Steve didn't think so.

"I have to go. Urgent business back at the base."

The group stood up and hugged Coulson individually. He made a few comments here and there accompanied by some inside jokes. The energy in the room flowed at a smooth pace with the calm and love that spread about. I could literally feel the joy. Experiences like that are…indescribable.

By the time Coulson got to me, he hooked his arms underneath my arms in a gentle hug and whispered in my ear, "I hope you forgive me for my past actions. I…"

I cut him off, "You had your orders. I get it." I was surprised he hugged me in the first place. We weren't on good terms, but he ended up being a really great guy. Natasha saw my surprise and genuinely smiled at the fact hat I was getting along with everyone.

He backed away and put one hand on my shoulder. His blue eyes looked straight into mine through my glasses. His tone was very reassuring, "You're part of the family now. Just don't forget your roots. You were raised in a pretty special place."

I simply nodded and watched him leave. What he said meant he kept a watch on me until he knew where I went. I didn’t know if I should feel safe because of that, or completely spied on in case I was needed for future use. I had heard terrible stories where S.H.I.E.L.D. would take some blood and catalog every mutant with a number in their database. When they were needed, they were called up and asked to be of help. I walked into my room and sat down. I contemplated about Xavier's School for the Gifted and sighed. My hands ran over the sides of my phone and tapped at the dark blank screen. _Should I call Logan? I haven't talked to him in a while…_ I shook my head and set my phone on the nightstand. _No. Not until Loki and Red Skull are put away. I don't want to put them in harm's way._ I rubbed my eyes and groaned. We needed a battle plan. We needed to take them out before they ruined another city. Were the Avengers not worried about this possibility?

Natasha relaxed against the door frame. She smiled a bit and asked, "May I come in?" I nodded. I was too busy thinking of a plan to say anything. Tasha sat down on my bed next to me and leaned against the wall. She stayed silent for a few moments and got lost in her memories. She linked her hands together in a neat fashion and played around with her nails. "Did Peter tell you how we first met him?"

I hesitated for a second and searched my memories. Once I came up with nothing, I declared, "No, but I would love to hear about it." Story time was always fun. No matter whether it was sad or happy, I loved hearing stories. I guess it was the child on the inside that got excited by it.

"We got a call about some distress in another city, so of course we went to go check it out. When we got there, he was broken. He held his head in his hands and tears streamed down his face. He yelled in agony, and seeing a child so broken just hurt my heart. I knew how that felt. It was…painful." She bit her lip, but continued, "We asked if he worked for anyone or if he just fought to save people on a regular basis. He said he just wanted to finish college and get out into the real world. Start a new life. One without Spiderman. And in this line of work…that seems impossible. That's merely a dream that none of us will ever achieve. Our job is never done."

Natasha hung her head for a few seconds and looked up at me. The gleam in her eyes showed…hope. That was something I didn't see in her eyes everyday. "We couldn't deny him his right to go to college, but he was a valuable hero that we needed on the team. We convinced him not to give up. That's why you see him studying almost every day. He goes to college online with the best professors that S.H.I.E.L.D. could offer. He's a really driven kid that wants to succeed with his own name and not just Spiderman. Peter is one of the smartest people I know." Natasha broke out into a full blown smile and made one dimple show up on the side of her face. "He's going to graduate soon with his Bachelor's degree. I'm really proud of him."

 _Wow…she really cares about him. I never thought Natasha would be attached to him, but I guess it was a motherly side to her that hardly anyone sees._ I got a warm feeling blossom in the middle of my chest. My cousin was loved by his team and the people around him. It was something he had always wanted. "At least he's making a difference everywhere. All I've ever wanted for him was to make a family of his own and live happily. I see he's already found that."

She put her hand on mine and tenderly stated, "So have you. You just got to learn how to put up with the boys."

I laughed at that. The boys were definitely something else. Too many words described them, and some of them weren't good. "I don't know how you do it." I yawned and closed my eyes for long seconds at a time.

Somehow, after a few minutes, I ended up with my head on Nat's lap. She played with my curly brown hair and ran her fingers through it. I felt like a dog, but damn, did it feel good. She sang softly in Russian. I gladly listened and smiled from time to time. She was a beautiful singer. _Why hasn't she sang professionally? She would make a kick ass singer._ I thought to myself. When she finished, I applauded softly. "I didn't know you could sing."

"Gotta have something to calm me down when I'm alone."

"Yeah," I yawned. I wanted to stay up and talk with her, but after a day of yelling, bickering, and fighting with Steve, I wanted to just sleep. Sleep sounded better than anything else on the planet. My eyelids were drooping and my attention span was lowering.

Nat whispered, "I'm really glad you joined the team. It gets really lonely being the only girl sometimes."

"What about Pepper? Jane? Anyone else?"

She sighed and shook her head slightly. "They're always away. Don't really get to have girl time. They have businesses to run or science to do." She patted my shoulder and stopped playing with my hair. "Alright. Time to sleep, Lilly."

I moved so she could get up and set my glasses on the nightstand. I turned off the light, but before she left, I said, "Make sure Barton gets some sleep. He really needs it, Nat."

Natasha gave me a weird look for a second before walking out of the room and closing the door. Maybe she was confused about how I knew that and she didn't. Either way, I didn't care at the moment. My head hit the pillow and I was out like a light.


	19. Chapter 19

_Gone insane from the pain that they surely know. For whom the bell tolls._

Music blasted from the lab speakers and filled the entire floor with sound. The glass walls in the lab barely shook with the vibrations. Tony danced around a bit and swung his head from side-to-side with the beat of the instruments. His fingers tapped away at the blue screen he was at until he traded places with Bruce. Bruce's brow furrowed and swiped his fingers against the screen. He corrected Tony's mistakes and tapped his foot to the beat of the song.

I strolled into the lab and turned down the stereo. The music was so loud that I couldn't hear myself breathing. I could only imagine what was going on in the boys' heads, if anything was at all. They probably had music going in one ear and out the other.

"Hey! You can't touch my stuff," Tony became defensive, but didn't look up at me. He was too intrigued in whatever he was looking at on the screen.

I scoffed, "I just did." I pushed over the wrappers and dirty dinner dishes from the past few nights onto the side of the table to make room for them to eat. I set some boxes of Chinese food down with two bottles of water. I felt like a mother providing dinner to her children. Tony sure acted like a child sometimes. "You guys need to eat. You haven't eaten all day."

Both scientists sat down on stools and opened the steam-filled boxes. Bruce looked up at me and lifted one corner of his lips to form a slight smirk. "It's really nice of you to bring us food." He used the chopsticks to eat the chow mein in the box.

"Well, someone's got to look out for you two." Sometimes, we wouldn't see the dynamic duo for days on end. They were always cooped up in the lab working on something new or on Tony's suits to improve them. I took one of Tony's egg rolls and popped it into my mouth. I munched on it as I spoke, "Is there any new info on Hydra?"

Tony glared at me with the uttermost look of disgust. His eyebrow raised and his brown eyes narrowed. He almost scrunched up his nose until he replied, "No."

Bruce swallowed the food he had in his mouth. He licked his lips slowly in thought and tilted his head for a second. His eyebrows knit together slowly and his brown eyes narrowed. "We're trying to trace Loki's scepter, which shouldn't be too hard. There's something else I could try…"

He was about to stand up and I quickly said, "At least take the food with you and eat over there. You need something, Bruce." I knew he usually ate three times more food than that one tiny box full, but he had to leave the lab sometime. Food was an incentive.

He nodded and took his food to the console. Tony drank some water and exhaled loudly. "How did you guys not notice Loki was in Asgard?"

I shrugged. "It was very tense there. We didn't even see Thor's father." _How could we, anyway? The King was said to be driven crazy by depression._ I contemplated. I sat down on the counter next to Tony and looked off out of the window across from me. The only things that could be seen were the tops of a few sky scrapers and the blue sky. Not a cloud was in sight. It was peaceful being so high up.

Bruce tried to stay in the conversation while typing away at a keyboard. "How would he get control of the army if his father was there?" His fingers stretched a picture on the screen of Loki from the footage Coulson left. We watched him slowly change into his usual armored attire by using his powers of magic.

That's when the idea hit us.

Bruce backed away from the screen and turned to us. His eyes widened for a second in realization and locked onto ours. His mouth twitched with unspoken words because he didn't know what to say. He brushed back his dark curly hair in worry. He finally forced out, "You guys don't think…"

Tony hesitated and almost shrugged. He didn't know how to react to that information. Was it really possible? "It's the only way."

"Wouldn’t Heimdall know that it wasn't Odin on the throne?" I questioned as I crossed my arms. Heimdall saw everything. It would take some high powered magic to deceive him. Or, at least I thought so.

Bruce took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He had been in the lab too long and was completely sleep deprived. "I don't know. Maybe Loki is hiding it very well. Otherwise Heimdall would have contacted Thor that Loki killed his father."

"How dare you people think that my brother would commit such an unspeakable act," Thor walked in on our conversation. His eye brows dove closer to his blue eyes like they would into a pool of water. He grasped Mjolnir in his hand and looked like he wanted to throw it at one of us. "No matter what he does, he is still my brother. I promised to protect him, and I failed somewhere along the way."

I jumped off of the counter and stepped towards him, "Thor, he kill-"

"I don't give a natskiom's ass how many people he killed. He only did it because he…" Thor stopped for a second and whispered to himself, "Because he couldn't have the throne…"

Tony glanced around at Bruce and I and raised an eyebrow. "Should we even ask what in the hell he meant by a natmi…natom…" He trailed off and threw his hands up in the air in defeat, "Look, I can't even say it."

Something clicked in Thor's mind. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes for a long second before rushing out of the room. His loud footsteps echoed through the quiet hall all the way to the elevator.

I ran to catch up to him and grabbed his arm. "How are you going to confront him, Thor? Rush up there without a plan and probably die in the process?" Having a plan like that was crazy. What was crazier was not having a back up just in case something went wrong.

"You don't understand. I'll do anything with the power of my free will to keep this world safe," Thor declared and pushed the button. The elevator stirred to life and started its destination onto the lab floor to retrieve him.

I tugged on his arm and made him look at me. There was a very strong anger in his expression that overshadowed what he was really feeling. Loss. Suffering.

Pain.

I don't think any word could ever amount to the emotion he felt. His father was probably dead and no one knows about it. He had lost his mother quite some time ago, and now, no one ruled Asgard. The throne was empty, taken by the shadow his brother had become to him. My expression softened and I let go of his arm. My voice became almost a whisper in an attempt to sound soothing, "Staying here will keep you safe. We need to find Loki first. Then we can go from there." We had a lead on Loki, but that didn’t mean we were any closer to finding him. He could be on another planet by now and we would never know.

A soft grunt rose from Thor's throat. He shook his head slightly and frowned. The elevator dinged and the doors opened upon command. Thor stepped inside and rested one hand on the wall. "I need some air."

I watched as the metal doors closed in front of me. I couldn't imagine how he would cope with this new information. Finding out the possibility that your father is dead because of your adopted brother doesn't necessarily have a good impact. My heart ached for him and his pain. Of course I knew how it felt to lose everything and have a true weight on your shoulders right after. A bit of my soul was taken that day. Now, the only thing that sits there is a black hole waiting to once again be filled with love. I turned away and headed back to the lab.

"Is he okay?" Bruce asked right as I entered the room. He turned on his swivel chair to face me. A slight worry filled his brown eyes and the wrinkles on his forehead deepened.

I glanced around the room for Tony, but he wasn't in there. _Must've gone out to call Pepper…_ I assumed. My hazel eyes flickered back to Banner, who sat patiently waiting for my reply. I leaned against the counter next to him and answered, "He's not having the best time right now. He needed some air."

"That's understandable. If I had a brother that was a complete psychopath, I wouldn't know how to compose myself either. He's not falling apart like I would." Banner finished up his food and set the box down. He pushed the fortune cookie away and rested his elbows on the counter top. The bags under his eyes sagged and his eyes were slowly turning red. He had been awake too long and overworked himself.

I grabbed the cookie and held it up in the air. "Are you not going to read it?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "I don't buy into things like that."

I rolled my eyes. "You don't need to believe it. Just look at what you get. These things are as fake as they come, but sometimes they might make your day."

"Then by all means, read it to me." He set his head on his propped up hand and watched me. Some strands of his curly hair got into his eyes, shadowing his glasses.

"Fine. I will." I unwrapped the cookie from the plastic and tore the small thing in half. I dropped the cookie in the process of gaining the tiny rolled up piece of paper. I adjusted my black rectangular framed glasses and cleared my throat before reading it out loud. "You love Chinese food." I snorted and set the small paper down. "Thank you, Captain Obvious. What a waste of a fortune."

"All of that built up excitement you set up and for what? A crappy fortune? Shame on you," he joked around, smiling shyly with a hand slightly covering his mouth.

I scoffed, "Whatever."

"It was funny. I'll admit that."

I stood there for a few seconds in silence. I didn't know what to talk about. My mind drew a blank. Here I was, standing in the same room as Bruce Banner, the Hulk, and I couldn't think of anything. I used to have tons of questions. I used to want to know everything. Where did those thoughts go? I scrubbed my mind of the confusion and said the first thing that came to mind, "Dr. Banner…"

He quickly cut me off, "Bruce. Just call me Bruce." The smile was still plastered to his face, but now he proudly showed it off.

I loved it when people got a boost in confidence around me. It warmed my heart to know we were almost completely comfortable around each other. I needed that if I wanted to stay here completely and become part of the team. "…Bruce, tell me about yourself."

Bruce scratched the back of his neck and scrunched his nose up in thought for a moment. His facial expression was so readable. I could almost see the gears grinding in his head. His lip twitched before he came to the conclusion of his thoughts. "Well, I'm a nuclear physicist, but I do study other things on the side. I have a load of free time on my hands, so I have taken a liking to learning about medicines and finding new ways to cure the sick." He nervously played with his hands and fixed his eyes on the counter top's chic black design. His smile faded and he licked his lips. "I always feel like I have to make up for all of the bad karma the big guy gives me."

I noticed him straying away from the conversation quickly because he mentioned the Hulk. Everyone on the team knew he didn't like talking about him, so we never brought it up. Sometimes we did, but mostly to check up on Bruce. Isolating the Hulk only made things worse for Banner to handle. I faced him fully and sat down on one of the small black stools. "I'd love to hear about what you do. I see you working with Tony in here all the time, but what do you really do?" I knew this wasn't going to end well. I barely understood high school science. How was I supposed to understand this?

Bruce's face lit up at the sound of it. His eyes sparkled with a joy I hadn't seen before and he sat up straight. "I usually double check the work Tony puts in before correcting his mistakes. Sometimes I add in things he hasn't thought of and make the projects even better." That was just the beginning. He went on for the next few minutes talking about science and his passion for it. The only unfortunate thing was I only understood the simple terms and not the fancy sciency ones he used. "I just use….because it actually is….which can make the best…and the greatest part about it is…"

By the time his tangent was over, he had shown me twenty different versions of software and creations he built in the lab. He glided across the floor like a broom sweeping the dust away. It seemed as if he was on cloud nine explaining all of it to me. I appeared interested, of course. I had nodded here and there to assure him I was paying attention, but in reality, I was lost the second he spoke at thirty miles an hour.

He could sense my confusion and put his glasses back on. Bruce's lips formed a sly smile and chuckled, "You didn't understand a word of that, did you?" I nodded ashamedly in agreement. His voice softened and he sat back down. "I'm sorry. I get too carried away sometimes."

I waved my hand. "No, it's completely fine! You love talking about it. I can see it in your eyes. It doesn't matter if I don't understand. You love explaining it to me."

Let me tell you…

Famous last words.

I spent the next few hours in the lab being lectured about all of the tech and how they formatted them, or something, by both Bruce and Tony. At that point, I wanted to rest from the headache. But, then I would remember that they had no one else to explain all of this to, so I stayed. The sheer excitement in their faces made me stay.


	20. Chapter 20

"Ready?" My voice shook with slight fear and anticipation. I rubbed my hands together out of habit. Willingly doing something I don't want to do really took guts. Or maybe I had been spending too much time around Stark and Peter and completely lost my mind. My black leather jacket flapped in the wind and messed up my navy blue shirt. I picked at the sides of my black jeans in a jittery motion. _This is crazy…_ My thoughts had grown more and more quiet lately. I had been more reckless than usual, so maybe it was my common sense dying out. Like right now, as little reckless as it was.

Peter's laugh forced itself passed his mask. His blue, red, and black suit fit tightly on his body, which was funny to think that my cousin wore spandex. Gross for me. Great for all the ladies out there who wanted a piece of him. He stretched in his spot and limbered up. "I'm always ready to kick your ass at something new."

"You're delusional. If anything, this will be your first victory," I remarked.

He threw up his hands and started to walk backwards, "Prove me wrong, Lilly. Prove. Me. Wrong." He leapt off of the building.

If this was any other person, I would have been worried. This was Spiderman. If he didn't have his web devices, I'd be jumping after him. Today that was not the case. I hurriedly put in the earpiece and yelled, "Hey! You didn't say go!" I hopped from rooftop to rooftop in hopes I was slightly faster than he was.

"Did I really need to? I thought it was implied," he replied and grunted. He swung from the sides of the buildings and jumped off of others like a professional gymnast. Peter performed a three hundred and sixty degrees flip before sliding against a building as if he were sliding across a floor while performing a dance. He laughed to himself and really enjoyed it.

I scoffed, "Show off."

"I heard that!"

"What are you talking about?" I pretended to be completely oblivious. "You're hearing things." My lungs constricted and lessened my air intake. I moved my arms with my body to increase my speed as my feet pounded against the concrete roofs. If I were to run any longer, I would brake out into a sweat. Running was hard work. I hit the edge of a rooftop and immediately stopped myself. I flailed my arms to balance on my own two feet without falling forward. A small scream escaped my lips from sheer panic.

Peter laughed. "What, you don't got a way to fly or something? Aw, poor little Lilly. You're going to lose the race to the tower. Guess who gets to buy me a few expensive memorabilia from my favorite movie?"

"I haven't lost the bet yet, Peter. Just watch." My hazel eyes sparkled with a mischievous tint. Why was I cursed with such brilliant thoughts? _Loopholes. Peter should watch out for loopholes in our agreements. He's about to get lawyered._ I contemplated and looked to see how close he was to me. I shot out my hands in his direction and created a portal. He tried frantically to stop himself, but he flew through the portal and was transported to the roof we started the race on.

He rolled onto the roof and stopped himself before he fell off. Peter cursed mildly and yelled into the mic, "Lilly Parker, that is cheating!"

"You never laid down any rules!" I backed up a bit before creating the bluest ice in midair and jumped onto it. My feet slid on the ice and created the ideal way of transportation back to the tower. The wind whipped through my hair and at times put strands in my line of sight. I huffed to make it go away and almost got into the middle of a flock of birds on accident. I swung my arms around and composed myself when I realized the birds were gone.

I reached the launch pad on the tower and sat down in the middle of it. I couldn't force myself to sit on the edge of the building. The fear of falling really took a toll on me sometimes. I leaned back and rested my hands behind me in a lazy fashion. The tower overlooked the city and provided an amazing view. Sunlight shined and reflected off other buildings' glass windows. "Guess who's buying me the new expensive laptop I really want?" I mimicked Peter's tone of voice from earlier.

"You can talk to Tony about that. He buys us everything we need," Peter answered and climbed to the edge of the tower. He perched on the edge and looked down below at the people busying around New York. Ants. Worker bees. They all appeared to be tiny insects on the journey to survival.

I wished I could see his face at the moment. I could pester him more, but without knowing, I had nothing.  "So all I had to do was ask Tony? Why did we have this race, then?"

"For fun."

Peter finally sat down on the edge and dangled his legs. He kicked the air like a little child too small to put his legs on the floor. Peter seemed to have gotten lost in his thoughts, probably remembering his past. He took his mask off and ruffled his hand in his short brown hair. He remained silent for a few more moments before changing the subject. "How did you get through everything? You lost your parents and became something new."

"I…" _Don't know how to answer that. What am I supposed to say? I didn't at first. I was a trouble maker until…Until I left. I didn't even show people my true potential.._ I squinted my eyes when the sunlight started to irritate me. _Yeah. That sounds good._ Except, that's not what came out of my mouth. "Friends. I met a lot of great people growing up and they molded me into what I am today. You would definitely relate to my father figure. He is a _complete_ sarcastic asshole who speaks his mind freely."

Peter cocked his head to the side and turned just a bit to see me out of the corner of his eye. "Did you just call me an asshole?"

"A _sarcastic_ asshole," I corrected him.

He scoffed, "Now I know where you get it from."

"Shut up." I swatted him in the shoulder lightly. But that only got me thinking. "Is that why we get along with Tony so well? Because he's the same way?"

"Clearly," Peter leaned back and rested against the metal platform. He set his hands behind his head and his brown eyes watched the sky.

My phone buzzed. "Speak of the devil…" I whispered and reached to check the message.

Logan: _Overdue checkup. Where are you?_

I almost set my phone down until I realized he would bug me to death or threaten me unless I told him. I wasn't expecting a message from Logan…But a part of me squirmed in my skin knowing that I had the possibility of seeing him again. It had been years since our last encounter… My fingers danced across the keyboard and typed: **You're probably tracking my phone already, so telling you where I am won't make a damn difference. I'm sorry I haven't updated you guys on a lot of things, but I am dealing with a lot right now. It might be better if we stay apart.**

Minutes seemed to pass and he never replied. I sighed and put my phone away. Peter helped me up, and after pretending to nearly push me off of the tower and almost having a heart attack, we went inside.

"Lilly! You've got a visitor!" Tony yelled from the elevator. As I walked over, I heard him keep talking to the guest, "I don't know how you got passed Jarvis. He always tells me when there's someone at the door."

I turned the corner and stopped in my tracks. "Logan…"

He didn't look a day older from when I had left, or even from when I was a little girl, for that matter. His greasy black hair was slicked back and partly falling to his right side. Logan's signature brown jacket tied in with his plain gray shirt and blue jeans. His hard brown eyes went from Tony to me and softened. Logan slightly grinned and opened his arms to hug me. I walked with long strides into his arms and hugged him tightly. He declared, "Good to see you again, Kid."

I rested my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes tight. _I…I can't have him here._ I backed away and frowned. Something inside of me writhed and hurt itself. But this was for the greater good. "Logan, you can't stay here."

He chuckled and glanced around nervously between Tony and I. "What are you talking about?"

I didn't want to be too pushy, but I basically pushed him off a ledge. I blatantly told him he couldn't stay. What was I supposed to do? I rubbed my forehead in frustration. "We have a situation right now. I don't want to put you or anyone else that isn't involved in danger."

Logan looked around the room. Tony calmly stood by, watching our encounter. Steve, Natasha, and Clint were watching a movie in the living room. Banner slept in his room and, well, Peter was swaying from side-to-side next to Logan. God, I forgot one of his idols was Wolverine. Logan raised an eyebrow and pointed out what was going on around us, "I don't see a situation right now." I gave him the look of irritation and he shrugged. "I don't see the harm in staying for two days to visit my little Lillybug."

I died a little bit inside. Logan only used that nickname to annoy me on various occasions. It wasn't cute when I was eight, and it definitely wasn't cute now. I groaned and cringed, "You had to bring that up in front of everyone, didn't you?"

"Lillybug?" Tony cackled and slapped his knee when he was out of breath. It took a full ten seconds until he wiped away the fake tear that dropped from his eye. "Now, that's adorable."

I looked at the ceiling and wanted to punch the wall. "You are never going to let that down, are you?" Tony kept laughing and walked into the living room with the rest of the group. I noticed Peter circling around Logan like a hawk with the widest eyes ever. He couldn't even play it cool. I needed to take him out to socialize more. I pulled him next to me, "Logan, this is Peter, my cousin."

"It's such a pleasure to meet you! Big fan of your work…" Peter shook Logan's hand and almost fanboyed over it. It seemed so unlike him. I'd never seen him that way before. Apparently no one else had either because they paused the movie just to watch.

"Killing bad guys?"

"Yeah!" Peter exclaimed.

Logan looked at my cousin up and down before furrowing his brow. "Hey. You're Spiderman."

Peter grinned from ear-to-ear and put his hands on his hips. The most heroic pose, yet it almost seemed silly at the moment. "Why, yes. Yes I am."

Logan dropped the small bag he was carrying. He tisked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "I know someone who is dyin' to meet you."

"Who?" He asked excitedly. If anyone else wasn't there, he probably would have danced around in sheer joy. Peter loved it when he heard about fans and always wanted to go out to sign autographs or promote charities.

Natasha walked into the small vicinity and saw Logan. She tilted her head a bit and her green eyes narrowed for a few seconds. Her mind processed what was happening and searched through her memories. Nat's mouth moved to speak because it was on the tip of her tongue. "Logan?"

"Natalia?" Logan stepped forward towards her. They hugged for a long time.

Peter and I stood back in confusion. I thought this would be the first thing Logan would tell me once he knew I saw Natasha's file while working for Hydra. Nothing in there detailed her past; it only had fragments, and certainly, nothing mentioned James "Logan" Howlett.

Natasha sensed our confusion and elaborated, "He trained me when I was little."

 _That's more information about her past than she's ever shared._ I thought. She never talked about it, and we never asked. We were all too afraid she'd beat us down and brood for the next week.

"Yeah, how do you think she's so good with hand-to-hand combat? This kid was trouble at first, but she learned pretty quickly." Logan wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "We have so much to catch up on."

Peter and I glanced at each other and watched them walk to the living room. Logan greeted everyone else and had an awkward encounter with Steve. They recognized each other from the war and went on a spiel for twenty minutes about the mission they went on together. Sitting together in that circle in the living room really brought a feeling of home to my heart. All of my favorite people to be around were having fun _together_. That, in itself, was a miracle. _Maybe this won't be so bad after all._


	21. Chapter 21

"Ooooooohhhhh!" Logan and I exclaimed and clinked beer bottles together.

Bruce had just died on a video game against Peter. The game was so intense that we started to make jokes, bets, and become the narrators of what was going on. The boys enjoyed every minute of it, even if they had to concentrate. Peter and Bruce sat forward with their elbows rested on their knees for better concentration.

I took a sip of beer and watched their movements. Both of their faces lit up, darkened, scrunched up in confusion, and go blank again all in a matter of thirty seconds. It was a delightful thing to witness. I had never seen so many emotions in such a little amount of time. I glanced over at Logan, who was watching the screen intently. Thirty bucks were on the line, and if Bruce died one more time, he would lose out on money. I knew Peter was great at video games, but Logan didn't.

"No!" Bruce yelled out in frustration. He threw the controller and threw his head back on the couch in defeat. He closed his eyes and groaned. Now he had to do dishes for the next week to take over Peter's shift. "I thought I was going to win…"

"Woo!" Peter got up and started dancing his victory dance. He performed several good moves before messing up and hitting his shin on the coffee table. "Ah, God, ow!" He hopped around on one leg until he sunk into a chair.

Logan handed me thirty dollars reluctantly. His brown eyes flickered to Peter quickly and he took in the moment. "You know kid, ya remind me of someone."

"A hilarious and smart person? Lilly thinks that all the time," Peter replied sarcastically. He shot a look at me and wriggled his eyebrows. I simply rolled my eyes.

"No," Logan chuckled and continued, "a jackass."

I immediately knew who he was talking about. This person was the most considerate, sick humored, famished, horny, and the most insane person I ever had the pleasure of meeting. He was one the only other person I knew other than Logan and I that couldn't be killed easily… "Wade?" I inquired with a confused look. Logan nodded in return. I thought about it for a second. Peter did have some of those qualities, except he was hungry for knowledge. Well, then again, Peter looked for meaningful relationships while Wade, on the other hand, looked at the short term most of the time. "I do see some resemblance. I think they would make great friends."

"Hey! Don't compare me to somebody I don't know." Peter messed up his short brown hair and made it look like he had bead-head.

Banner played along, not even knowing who we were talking about, "I don't know. I think I'm starting to see it too."

"Deadpool is such a jackass, but he has a giant heart of gold." I sat quietly for a second before adding, "He used to bring me food when I was sick and put on movie marathons."

Peter jut his hands out in sudden realization. His left eye twitched out of sheer excitement and his glasses slid down his nose as he gave me a grave look. He, very calmly and collectively, asked, "Wait… _the_ Deadpool? You know him?"

"Yeah," I stated nonchalantly. I didn't even think about it, until I remembered that Peter idolized Deadpool. He had him on a pedestal. The first time I saw him again, he was even wearing Deadpool pajamas. _How could I forget such a memorable thing? Oh…crap._ I contemplated.

"I…I can't believe you haven't told me that important information!"

I shrugged in defense, "I didn't think it was important."

"I'm his biggest fan," Peter declared and set his hands down. He sat up in his seat, cracked his knuckles, and looked at all of us with a smug look on his face.

I massaged my forehead with my hand, awaiting the impending headache. "Oh, no. Here we go."

Peter went on a thirty minute spiel about Wade Wilson. He stood up at times, moved around the room, pretended to present with an imaginary board with statistics on it, and acted out a few stories he had heard in the news about Deadpool. Bruce, Logan, and I appeared interested at first, but as time went on, it got a little bit overwhelming. I learned things about Wade that I hadn't known before. He never told me about his adventures outside of the school, so I was always in the dark about things. Bruce massaged his temples and leaned back in his seat. He rested his head against the couch and closed his eyes. Logan contributed a few comments here and there, and told small stories of his own. By the end, Peter slunk down in his chair from oxygen deprivation.

"Calm down, Peter. You're going to give yourself a heart attack," Bruce commented after he woke up from a ten minute nap. He rubbed his eyes and yawned when he stretched.

I snickered and joked around, "Yeah, and your tombstone will be engraved: Peter Parker. Died from fanboy overload."

"Whatever," Peter brushed the conversation off and brought up a new one. "You know, if I was invited to the battle of New York, everything would have changed. We would have defeated Loki earlier in the battle and destroyed the portal before the nuke was even sent out."

"You're giving yourself too much credit, Kid. Just think to yourself for a moment…" Logan trailed off and continued after taking a drink of his second beer, "If these guys barely handled it, one more person wasn't going to change anything."

Peter's brown eyes widened and snapped his fingers when he came to a realization. "But, if they had a whole team of members, like the X-Men, my thought would be true. There wouldn't have been as much destruction or near death experiences."

The three discussed how improbable that all was and how it could have created more chaos, if anything. I wandered off in my thoughts for a few moments. Loki's name seemed to trigger my thought process lately. _Loki and Red Skull are working together. They still haven't done anything. What are they waiting for? Why are they waiting? So what if their soldiers aren't immortal. They had a bigger advantage than they thought._ I rubbed my chin slowly and pretended that I had a beard for just a few seconds. It helped me think. _But where would they do this? They have to have a base somewhere. Looking back at every Hydra facility…facility…_ Something clicked in my mind, like a bright light bulb being turned on.

I got up and immediately walked to the elevator. I pushed the button a few times impatiently, having the insane need to tell someone the news. I tapped my foot against the tiles and noticed Steve walking towards me. "Perfect! Just the man with the plan that I want to see."

"Why does everybody comment on that?" Steve shook his head in slight embarrassment at the distant memory. He raked his hands through his blonde hair and his face became a blank slate. He pushed it aside and questioned, "Why did you want to see me?"

The elevator arrived, so we hopped inside and Steve pressed the button for the floor below. I started my thought process out loud, "So, I was thinking about the Hydra facilities, something I haven't done in a long time. Then, I look back at all the…"

Steve cut me off, "Get to the point, Parker." He knew I would talk for a whole ten minutes if he didn't say that. I wouldn't mean to, but I loved explaining things to my peers.

 _Smart man._ "Anyway…My boss was having me work hard because a position opened up at a higher facility. He showed me a map of where it was and told me I would live in that general area until I was a high enough rank to work underneath Red Skull. I wouldn't have known about it if it weren't for him, and I could tell you right now where it is." The elevator door opened and we walked into Tony's lab. I continued, "That's got to be where Red Skull and Loki are scheming their End-of-the-World Plan. We have the advantage here."

Steve was about to say something until Tony intervened, "I found where Loki's scepter is located." He clapped his hands together, rubbed them, and created a drum roll.

I rolled my eyes and said it along with him simultaneously, "In a Hydra facility stationed in Germany." Tony furrowed his brow. He narrowed his eyes and pointed at me, but failed to say anything.

"I guess Schmidt wanted to go home," Natasha commented from behind one of the computer screens. She clicked the exit button and hopped off of the counter that she was sitting on. Her short red hair flopped around for a second and her sharp, green eyes glanced at all three of us. "I looked in the file you gave us again and the location was coded. I decoded it, and vuala, magic happened. We now have the location and the map of the outside area."

I leaned up against the counter and folded my arms across my chest. I bit my lip. "The serum has to be there, along with the soldiers. Right? Something is going on here and we can stop it!"

"Not without a plan," Steve eyed me to make sure I understood.

"This is why we make references to your life, Steve. You're always giving us a reason to. Like right now, Man with a Plan," Tony chuckled and turned off all the screens in the lab.

We all stood in place for a minute in silence. There were imaginary thought bubbles over everyone's heads; maybe they were searching for a plan before Steve could think of one. The group always tried to do that, but Steve's plans were always better. No surprise there. This man lived to fight, and knew how to do it right.

"What are we waiting for?" I asked. I stood up straight and got ready to leave. "We have to move now if we're going to use the element of surprise!"

"We have the advantage. You said so yourself. Let's at least know how to invade before we commit to attacking," Steve replied in a stern tone.

I groaned. Nothing was ever good enough for Captain America. "Loki and Schmidt are both there. Why are we waiting? Let's fucking bomb the place. That should cause a little chaos before we corner them outside."

"No," Nat cut in, "Steve's right. We need a plan, Lilly."

I nodded and followed everyone out. Knowing everyone in the group somewhat decently, things weren't going to go very well. We couldn't agree on what type of ice cream to get, how were we supposed to decide on this? I mentally shook my head and prepared for a fight. _This is not going to end well…_


	22. Chapter 22

The meeting started a floor below the training room. The warm room seemed to be big, but only because there wasn't a lot of furniture. A table set in the middle of the room and a giant container in the corner. The walls and flooring reflective tiles made the room look like a giant mirrored box. My bet called on it being that way to disorient the Hulk when he got too rambunctious. Captain America took a stance at one end of the table, pointed at different parts of the map outside of the facility, and gave all of us orders, except for Bruce. Banner sat in the corner flipping through his science journal. He checked formulas, expanded on some work, and kept himself occupied. Bruce hated going in on missions because he thought he caused more destruction than good, so he stayed behind by choice.

Natasha stood at the end of the table next to Steve. She was Steve's second in command, which was an excellent choice. They trusted each other. She appeared on edge in her white shirt and black jeans. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she listened to Steve give directions. She assessed every move he made to make sure it would work, but then again, why second guess? He knew what he was doing. He saved the soldiers in the 107th infantry from Hydra all on his own.

Clint pushed Peter around a bit for fun. Peter pushed back, but had to keep it down before it turned out into an all out fight. They had to seem like they were somewhat paying attention. Barton wore his black jacket and blue jeans that he wore on most occasions. Peter adjusted his glasses before they were knocked off and rubbed his hands on his gray sweats. He wasn't expecting to experiment in the lab today, so he stayed in his gray sweats and blue shirt. Apparently, we had better things to do like invade facilities.

Tony sat in a chair next to Thor and tried to keep himself entertained. He wore his black Black Sabbath shirt and black pants, which went well with his greasy hair. He didn't have time to take a shower between there and the lab, so he just said screw it and left it as is. Tony poked Thor's biceps and tried to make it not so obvious. Thor kept side-glancing at him to let him know it was irritating the dear life out of him, but none of it worked. He didn't know what else to expect from Tony.

Logan stood by me. He wanted to go in on the mission to ensure that it would get done without injuries. He had too much hope for heroes who were prone to getting injured. Logan took off his brown jacket and revealed his red shirt underneath. His blue jeans covered the brown combat boots.

I got my orders. I pushed a strand of brown hair out of my face. This was ridiculous. I didn't get a say in anything. I pretended not to care and fixed the hem of my blue top and black jeans, but I did care. I understood that Rogers was the leader and a tactical genius on the side, but all in all, they had no idea what was inside the facility. Red Skull could be in there for all we knew. If we came across him, then what? Just kill him? I don't think that would fly very well with half of the team. He had information we didn't. We'd be lucky to get our hands on that knowledge. "I know these facilities better than anyone. They all have the same layout, so I know the quickest ways in and out. We'd be lucky if this one had the same," I pointed out.

Steve's icy blue eyes flickered up from the map and onto me. The muscles on his face stayed exactly in place, almost like he gave me a disapproving look. He leaned on the table using his elbow and readjusted his leg for better traction with the floor. "With your powers out in the field, it could go south, especially on a mission like this. Red Skull knows what you're capable of. Why would we take you there when he has the opportunity to take you away and use your powers to his advantage?"

My eyebrows knit together and I became defensive, "I'm not some damsel in distress, Rogers. I can handle myself." I folded my arms across my chest and narrowed my eyes. "That's quite the accusation coming from a fellow test subject, isn't it?" I tapped my foot against the floor in frustration. This guy knew how to really get on my nerves. "Red Skull said he wanted you. To torture you. Kill you. Whatever he wanted. _Then_ it's world domination. I'm not the one that should be watching themselves on this mission."

"I'm more human than you'll ever be, Parker. He only wants revenge on me, but with you, he could do some serious damage," Steve shot back.

I saw a spark in his eye that flashed only for a second. He was enjoying this as much as I was. For some reason, fighting was something we agreed on. Butting heads felt right. It not only made us bond in an indirect way, but there was a certain exhilaration that came with it. It burned a fire in the pit of our stomachs and kept us running, no matter how many words we exchanged. Maybe it was the thrill of the fight that kept us arguing from day-to-day.

Before I could throw something back at him, Peter stepped in from the side. "You know, most of us didn't have the best backgrounds. Alright? It doesn't matter what we are, human or not. What matters is that we stick together. Not apart."

Barton rolled his eyes. He scoffed, "The first time we met her, she was stealing intel from the enemy and giving it to our other enemy. How is that helpful? How are we so sure she didn't give them everything they needed?"

"I saw what she gave them. It was just busy work for them to decode. Nothing to fret about," Tasha answered him. Her emerald green eyes glanced from him and back to me to show she was on my side. I definitely was starting to respect her a lot more now. "Now, we need to get our heads out of our asses before something happens."

Banner spoke up from the sidelines, "You always have your head in your ass because you think you know everything." He didn't even look up from his work when he said it. It was a very nonchalant thing for him to say.

"Shut it, Banner. You're the big green monster, remember? Don't need to upset him," Tony defended Natasha. He almost stood up to say it. He didn't know how Bruce could say something so bold to one of his best friends.

Bruce's veins popped out of his arm as he tightened his grip on the pen in his hand. His eye twitched and he quickly put his hands on his temples. "This upsets me more than before."

Thor set Mjolnir down on the table and got up from his chair. He frowned instantly. "You all need to calm down. We have our differences, and w-"

Logan furrowed his brow and cut him off, "You're a god. What do you have to worry about? How would you know how we feel?"

Steve scoffed and stood up straight. There was no way he could let this fight go down without defending his friends. "Logan, you're nothing but a careless asshole who does nothing but screw things up with your anger. I've seen you in action and sometimes you need to dial it down a bit."

"You don't know what I've been through," Logan forced out through his clenched teeth. The veins in his temple protruded from his skin. His adamantium claws flew out from his knuckles and he showed them off to the group. He spit out in sheer anger and hatred, "And these? The bane of my fucking existence. I've saved the future. What have you done?"

"Oh, you know," Tony paused for dramatic effect, "saved the world a few times. That's all."

Peter set his hands down on the table calmly and tried not to get too out of hand. He had to stop what was going on before it was too late. "Everyone, stop. This is ridiculous. You're all fighting over nothing."

"Ridiculous? It's needed. We need to get this figured out. Who can we really trust here?" Rogers disagreed.

Soon, everyone was arguing with each other. In a matter of seconds, some arguments spawned into irrelevant topics like disliking some trilogy of movies or breaking one of the household appliances a few hours earlier. That seemed to happen a lot around the tower. These arguments were starting to heat up, and it all started because of me. It was a mistake trying to plan this out with me on the team. Clearly, that's what was wrong. I couldn't just sit back and let myself sulk around the tower in a bored state! I had to get out there. Fight some Hydra agents. Get on my friends' good sides. I just wanted to be out in the field again. It was an eagerness inside of me that I couldn't push back.

Unfortunately, it _was_ too late for this situation to be saved.

Banner nearly pulled out his hair and ran to the big container on the other side of the room. Fury had given Tony the schematics for the container that was held in the helicarrier so he could make one for the tower just in case Bruce had a meltdown. Of course, as always, Tony amped the schematics up a bit to add in his own flare, but not by much. He told me before that the glass was stronger and the lighting in there was three times better. The container door slammed shut, locked, sealed itself, and the fluorescent white lights turned on. Bruce stammered about and fell to his knees before letting out a loud, agonizing scream.

Everyone's attention focused on him. The room fell eerily quiet to where everyone held their breaths. We watched Banner change into the Hulk, his shirt ripping apart at the seams. His pants were oddly stretchy, but that might have been part of his own creation for safety reasons. Bruce's tan skin faded into varieties of light lime to a hard, cactus green. His muscles bulged and twitched as his body grew larger and more muscular than before. Soon, he towered over all of us.

Tony waved his hand towards the container. "Look at what you did. You made him angry."

The Hulk pounded his fist up against the glass. He barred his teeth in anger at us. All of us backed away slowly as the glass cracked under his strength. The white lights in the chamber flickered and shook. Worry thickened the air and overshadowed the tension in the room. I didn't know how this was going to play out. I had never even met the big guy.

"Banner wouldn't hurt us…" Tony trailed off and backed up into the wall.

I finished his thought out loud, "But the Hulk wouldn't hesitate to do so if he's angry at us…"

Tony pushed a button to put up another layer of glass behind the one already there. The Hulk threw himself up against the glass with all of his strength and broke through both at once. Tony's face overcame with worry and called out for Jarvis to send his suit.

The room became silent once more. The Hulk stepped out of the container. Glass crunched underneath his big foot and he huffed. His short, stringy black hair moved up as he exhaled roughly and he moved to look at the slightest movements within the group. Hulk's muscles twitched and his fingers tightened into fists. He screamed at us like he was giving out a war cry.

The game was on.

No one needed words in this moment. We all knew that we couldn't let the Hulk out of the tower at any cost. He would do more destruction than good, and it would be all our fault. Steve threw his shield at Hulk and it reflected off of him. Clint shot off arrow after arrow, making explosions pop close to him to distract him. He stopped and shifted to his regular arrows as I created a portal for Nat to jump through and onto Hulk's back. She electrocuted him with small devices she clasped onto his leaf shaded skin.

The Hulk thrashed around where he stood and clawed at his back. He found Natasha's leg and launched her at the wall. She couldn't comprehend what was happening until it was too late. She hit the wall, face first, and fell to the floor unconscious. Blood spurted out of her nose and cracked lip.

Clint slid passed the Hulk and attached an arrow to his leg. The arrow emitted electricity and shocked Hulk. He growled and threw his arms about, hitting Clint and hurled him out of the window. Barton yelled, "Oh, shit!" Tony only had half of his armor on, but he couldn't let Barton fall. He leapt out of the window to save him.

Peter flung his webbing at Hulk's hands and stuck them together. He proceeded to try to tie him up, but the big guy was relentless. He broke through the webbing and slammed Peter onto the ground. His action created an indent on the floor and Peter yelled out in pain. I quickly used fire to make Hulk back away and covered my cousin.

Thor swung his hammer around and attacked. Mjolnir crashed into Hulk's jaw and Hulk flew up into the air. He dropped to the ground, making the floor crack under his weight. The big guy grabbed Thor's foot and Thor sailed through the air as he was launched. He broke wall after wall, trying to slow down his landing and not fly out of the tower.

Logan yelled and sprinted forward. Hulk got up and went to grab him, but Logan was too nimble compared to him. He took out his adamantium claws and went to town on Hulk's face.

Screaming. Yelling. Blood. Sweat. Maybe a few single man tears. Everything was happening so fast that I didn't know how to comprehend it. If we couldn't handle Hulk, then how were we supposed to trust him on the battlefield? What if he turned against us? What if Loki got a hold of him and used him as a puppet?

Hulk snatched Logan's leg from underneath him and snapped it in half. Logan fell to the ground after crying out. Hulk took advantage of this moment and used his elbow to break several of Logan's ribs. His fist came into contact with his chest repeatedly, and soon Logan was nothing but blood, broken bones, and scattered breathing. The Hulk had scratches and marks from the claws, but nothing to do real damage. He was healing faster than Logan had thought.

Steve and I put Peter and Natasha in the corner of the room for safety. They were hurt pretty badly, but it wasn't something a good nights sleep and pain killers couldn’t fix. Steve turned around and hurled his shield at the Hulk. I followed the shield with my eyes and put my hands mid-air on the right side of my body. I used my magnetic powers to swing more force into the shield and its current velocity.

The weapon made Hulk skid across the floor after it hit his stomach. His feet dug into the carpet and tore it up, but he simply grinned from ear-to-ear. He flung the shield back at us. Steve and I ducked as a reflex and the shield jammed itself into the wall. We looked at the shield and exhaled loudly. At that speed, it would have killed one of us.

I heard the Hulk's footsteps and spun around. He lifted his fist and aimed for Captain America. "Rogers!" I yelled and took the hit.

It would be much more simple for me to heal than him. We needed him on the mission, not resting in the emergency room from a terrible injury.

I fell to the floor. A couple of my ribs were broken and my arm popped out of place. I locked my arm back into its socket and cracked my neck to release some tension. He towered over me and growled. He lowered his head and his pupils grew larger, making him look even more menacing as he grit his teeth. I used one hand to back up on the floor and the other to freeze his hands together. He yelled as if giving a war cry and lifted his arms high above his head.

This was it. I was going to be pulverized by a very angry Hulk.

"Bruce, no!" I screamed and shielded my face.

The Hulk hit the floor next to me after hearing what I said. The floor underneath us crumbled under the pressure. Peter quickly hung onto the wall with one hand and used his webbing to cling onto Natasha. He felt obligated to protect her, especially if she couldn't protect herself. The cement gave in and bumped against the furniture on the floor below. Metal rubbed against metal, creating a loud screeching sound. A loud, irritating ringing started up in my ears. The mixture of plaster and blood flooded my nostrils, making me cringe. Cement from the floor's foundation bashed through into the next floor below. The next few floors fell under the domino effect and collapsed until we were four floors down from where we used to be.

The unsettled dust swam in the air and the final pieces of cement and flooring fell down the mound of crumpled furniture. I glanced around slowly and tried to make the ringing stop. My sore eyes irritated me from lack of moisture. I blinked rapidly and picked myself up from the ground. Blood poured out of my side like a fountain. I had landed on a pipe when I fell and it went straight through my stomach. My vision blurred and thoughts flooded my mind. Pain surged through my nerves and made some of my muscles twitch. I couldn't focus. I needed to focus.

The Hulk rose from a mound of fallen cement and beat his fists against his chest. The anger hadn't left him. He yelled out, ready for the next thing to come at him.

My right hand focused on a giant piece of metal steel beam and took control of it. I lifted it into the air and forced it around the Hulk's physique. I got a few more steel beams and did the same thing. Hulk attempted to break free, but he failed. He finally gave up after a minute and sat down on the ground in defeat.

Soon, he was back to being Bruce Banner.

I pulled the pipe out of my side and cried out in sheer pain. I tossed it to the side and looked around the room. Everything was in shambles. Logan sat at the top of one mound, caressing his wounds as he healed. Steve massaged his left leg because he twisted it. The rest of the group were either rushed into the hospital level of the tower or still outside from being thrown out.

Tony came back and landed close to Banner. He looked around with saddened eyes and shook his head. This would cost more money. Money wasn't a problem, but it was the fact that there was always something new to deal with everyday. He scratched the back of his suit's neck out of habit and said, "Guess we have to do that remodeling we were talking about."

I ignored Tony and looked straight at Steve. I made sure he watched my every move and heard what I was about to say. He had trust issues. One day, he trusts me. The next, I'm too dangerous to bring along on missions. This event had to prove something. It had to. "Trust us yet?" With that, I walked out of the room and went straight for a shower.


	23. Chapter 23

"Something is very wrong here…" Spiderman trailed off as he checked around the corner of the building. He stretched in his costume and jumped back and forth. He had felt impatient since the other day when Bruce changed and attacked us. Peter wanted change. Wanted something more to his life. He missed Gwen.

But there was nothing I could do about it. I could only stand there and pretend everything was alright. The fight the other day really bothered me. How could Steve not trust me? How could he stand there and tell me I might be a danger to the mission? I knew how to handle myself. I wasn't five anymore. I tapped my hands against my blue jacket and black pants to the beat of one of my favorite songs. My contacts irritated my eyes and needed eye drops, but now was not the time. I needed to stay focused. "What do you mean?"

Logan joked around after he cracked his knuckles. "What, are your spider senses tingling?" He wore his custom costume he wore when he was at work with the X-Men. The blue and yellow suit pinched the muscles in his back and legs while his arms bulged. He took out his claws and a sharp ping sound rang in the air. He cringed at the slight pain.

"This isn't the time to be joking around," Steve commented through the mic. He was on the other side of the facility with Iron Man, Hawkeye, and Thor. They were going to flank the Hydra members from the top and work their way down to us.

Natasha snorted, "Clearly you don't know these guys. They joke around a lot." She glanced around at us and her emerald eyes flickered back to the front door. Her usual black outfit fit the curves of her body and allowed her to be nimble. Nat's red hair was straight, falling down to touch her shoulders.

I could never understand how she could fight with her hair in her face. But she was good at it, so I left it alone.

"Ready? On my mark," Steve began.

We waited patiently and eagerly. Something about the situation set my blood on fire and got my adrenaline pumping. Nat focused on the door and turned her back to us.

"3…2…" Captain America counted down.

Peter twitched at the sight of a red dot on the back of Black Widow's head. He jumped up as he screamed, "No!"

A loud sound erupted from across the street. The boom echoed off of the buildings and through the streets. My head jerked towards the origin of the shot and glimpsed back at Peter. The bullet tore his skin and wedged itself in between his collar bone and his rib cage. He cried out in agony and fell to the ground. Logan dove to catch Peter as warm blood flew everywhere, splashing anything in its path. Guns started firing and the alarm set off, creating a panicked state for the agents around us.

"Look alive guys. The hunters now have just become the hunted," Barton commented through the mic. Explosions were heard in the distance from his arrows and cries of pain erupted through the air.

My head whipped back to the shooter and I booked it. With a flick of my wrist, I created a portal leading to the top of the ten story building. I ran through and knocked out the first man I saw. Three guys jumped at me. My knuckles collided with one's jaw, making him fly backwards. I winced from the pain that soared up to my wrist and kicked another agent in the rib cage. He grabbed a hold of my foot; I grasped the pistol holstered onto my leg and shot his right arm. The man cried out, leaving me enough time to get out of his hold and knock the wind out of him with a punch to the gut. My elbow smacked him down onto the ground in an unconscious state.

The last agent pulled out his weapon, but I held out my hand and used my metal powers to stop the gun from firing. He paled at the sight and frowned. The man's hand took hold of a knife and swung it at me. I backed up and blocked his arm a few times before getting a hold of his hand and making him stab himself in the chest.

There was no time to lose. The shooter was getting away. I was not about to let a guy who nearly killed my cousin go.

I leapt from one building to the other. My feet carried me at a top speed, hitting the floor with loud thuds. Other agents got in my way, but I would create a portal to dodge them and confuse them. I pushed one off of the building and he screamed all the way down. My blood raced through my veins and heated up. It wasn't just from the running. It was from anger. It angered me that he shot Peter. I was angry that it could have killed him. _He's not going to die. Not tonight. Not like this._

"What's going on over there? Status report," Steve questioned through the mic. His voice was stern and commanding, sending a slight chill up my spine. I was starting to have respect for the man that took control of the situation.

 Natasha fired her pistols and yelled, "Peter got shot trying to save me. One round to the shoulder. He's wounded pretty badly." She shot anyone she saw as a threat and covered Logan as he got Peter to cover.

Spiderman's heavy breathing could be heard through the mic, worrying me a lot more. He choked out, "It's not a big deal. Really."

"We really need to get inside of this building. You going to be okay to fight, Web-Head?" Stark asked. He fired his built in weapon at some agents.

"Let's go in. Lilly, we'll meet you in there," Peter informed me and followed the group into the building.

I didn't bother to answer him. I almost caught up to the guy. He was running to the edge of the roof and gazed down. My hazel eyes checked their profile out in one second and realized the shooter wasn't a man. It was a woman. That's why it was hard to catch up. She was agile.

That didn't change my mind on what I was about to do to her. An eye for an eye, right? She could take Peter's life. I'll take hers.

My hands clasped together in front of me. I focused on the woman and let my clouded mind do all of the work. I could see the blood cells in her veins in my mind and started to force my hands apart slowly. The woman gasped and twitched like she was being choked. I had never tried this before, but I've had it done to me before. It was the worst feeling I've ever had. My insides were being ripped apart. Literally.

The more I forced my hands apart, the more she screamed out in agony and fell to her knees. The anger took over and consumed me in that moment. Blood trickled down her nose and out of her mouth. My powers ripped the iron straight from her blood, leaving her with one of the worst deaths imaginable. What was she thinking? Killing one of the Avengers…Ha! She thought she would get away with it too. No one messes around with my family.

Adrenaline pumped through my entire body, filling it up with energy like a drug. It all felt so good, so comforting, it made me feel alive. I was so focused on her that I couldn't hear anything but her screams as she spit out blood and my rapid breathing. Some of the blood splattered onto my face like rain on a cloudy day. She died in a matter of seconds and collapsed.

I came back to reality and set my hands to my sides. I stumbled backwards in a seemingly drunk state. The anger. The adrenaline. The revenge. Maybe it was all getting to me. _Maybe I am the destructive weapon Stryker made me to be._ I pushed the thought out of my mind. _I'm helping the Avengers. I'm doing more good than harm._ I convinced myself and met back up with the group in the fourth floor of the building.

Nat's legs were wrapped around one guy's torso as she snapped his neck in half. Peter shot at some guys and stuck them to the wall, making them unable to fight. Logan went in on a full attack and scratched up a few agents in the chest. His adamantium claws tore through their skin and made them bleed out instantly.

Red Skull's voice came over the loud speaker of the facility. The speaker screeched at first, making a high pitched sound, but it cleared after a few seconds. "Ah, zee Avengers. So nice to finally meet you. It's too bad zat I hafe to leafe so soon, but I hafe a plane to catch. Bye-bye."

Steve sighed over the mic, "He must have been in the basement. He's the only one that's going to get away. But, there isn't a way for him to carry more than half of the supplies out of here. I know Johann. He runs to save his own life, not anyone or anything else's."

The building fell silent and we trailed up to the fifth floor. I held onto Peter and aided him in walking. He had managed to cover up his wound with his webbing, keeping the skin together in an attempt to stop the bleeding. It worked like a big, sticky band aid. He leaned against the door we walked passed as we met up with the rest of the team.

Nat stayed behind to see if Peter was going to be alright and Logan lingered next to her. He only agreed to come on this mission because we needed an extra hand, not to search through some random company's junk that he could care less about.

Tony and Steve searched the giant science lab. It wasn't clean and pristine like Tony's, but dirty, grimy, and cold like Dr. Frankenstein's would have been. Test tubes and tools lay scattered on the counters. Viles sat in the refrigerators on the back wall, containing blood samples and God knows what else. Armor and weapons from Asgard piled in the corner of the room. Thor touched the closed portal drawing on the wall and made a fist. I could see the utter pain on his face. The betrayal. The anger. The loss. His emotions put on a show for the whole world to see.

Barton called out from the corner, "I think you're going to want to see this." Steve and I stepped around the curtain Barton was behind and looked at what lay on the tables.

Bodies.

A dozen or so bodies lay on tables. Their skin varied in colors of pale white to a tinge of violet. Some had major points in their bodies had different colored bruises on them, indicating massive blood clots. Other deceased had been drained of their blood. Most of the limbs were improperly sized to fit their bodies. Limbs were too small, nubs, or too long. Some were bigger than others and some were too small to even help the person survive or keep steady. The one thing they all had in common were their heads were cut off.

"I guess the serum didn't work," I stated and cringed. The smell hit me like a wave of old, hot trash. It almost made me gag as the smell lingered in the back of my throat.

Rogers threw up his hands in defeat. Red Skull was gone, but the bright side was the serum didn't work. It didn't seem like Johann Schmidt was going to keep going with the project from all of the closed files in the lab, so that was another win for the group. Steve placed his shield on his back and walked out. "Torch it all."


	24. Chapter 24

Peter rested in his bed comfortably. The doctors did all they could to restore his lost blood and take out the bullet fragments. The most they said he would be out on rest was a few months, if not, longer. He appeared to be pale and blood drained, which worried me a lot. My cousin looked weak and helpless. There was nothing I could do about it. That was the worst part. I sat by him on the side of his bed and held his hand. He was sound asleep and had been since the surgery.

Natasha sat on the other side of the bed. One corner of her mouth lifted as she spoke to his unconscious self, "You did great. Didn't even hesitate to save my life."

I brushed my hair back with my hand stressfully and glanced at Nat. She seemed so calm on the outside. I didn't know how she could do it. All I could feel was pain in my heart. It ached like the time I had lost my parents, but this was on the verge of falling down a worse trail of pain. At first, I thought Peter was going to die. Now that he wasn't, I was a little more relieved. I never wanted to see Peter this hurt.

"Lilly."

My head snapped up to Natasha, who was trying to get my attention.

"Go wash your face. It's covered in blood," she commanded in her motherly tone. Her eyes flickered back to Peter and listened the soft hum of his heart monitor.

I nodded and went to the bathroom. I took a cloth from the closet and ran it under hot water. Dry blood had drenched my face in giant splotches. My red eyes appeared exhausted and my limbs ached. I had used so much power to kill that agent that I was left weak.

When I first came to the tower, I was fresh off the field. I killed someone everyday in the name of Hydra, even if I didn't like it. I gave intelligence to Hydra's enemy, and in return, I got money and support. With being off of the field for so long, I think I got bloodthirsty. Angry. Hungry. I murdered a woman out of cold blood earlier. Sure, she shot my cousin and tried to kill my friend. But she didn't deserve that death. Thinking with a clearer head made me realize that. Then, other questions started to appear. _Have I become more of an animal just from being in captivity? Or did I just miss the adrenaline rush and got carried away? Am I a monster, or am I the person I had always been?_

 

I could feel it. The exhaustion weighing me down. The pain from over-worrying about my cousin. The self-conscious part of me clawing at my mind and telling me I was nothing but a monster. A murderer. Nothing more than the contracted killer I was meant to be.

The voice told the truth.

That was my nightmare. The cold hard truth of me being a murderer, placing my actions among the 'good' that I claim I'm doing. I wondered if anyone else in the group felt the same way.

Natasha was molded into an assassin. Steve transformed into the super soldier to end a whole world war. The Hulk was always angry, bottled up inside of Banner, waiting to be cracked open at any time like some twisted Jack in the box. Tony used to believe he didn't have a heart and took the world on his own, conquering plans using money and his wit. Thor used to be a loose canon and his over-confidence nearly got him killed.

Peter was too emotional when it came to things and it led to Gwen's accidental death. That didn't make him a monster or a weapon. It made him human. And Clint…he… _wasn't_ as much of a monster as the rest of us. He had a tough childhood, but that didn't make him into a terrible guy. Maybe he was too trusting. That didn't make him a monster, though, or a weapon of any kind.

My mind wandered with thoughts as I sat in a chair next to Peter's bed. My head hung back as I craned my neck to find the perfect position to sleep in. My cousin had taken days of just sleeping to recover. He was hardly awake for any of it and sometimes, his heartbeat dropped greatly. The doctors said he would be fine, after the medicine stopped fighting against him and started working with him.

"Hey, kiddo," Logan tapped me on the shoulder.

I groaned and didn't move a muscle. "What…"

He pinched my cheek like a child. He knew I hated when he did that, but it made me pay attention to him. I opened my eyes as he continued to speak, "It's my last day here. Come with me on a bike ride, for old time's sake."

Bike rides with Logan…that brought back so many good memories. My first picnic. First beer. First cigarette. First time finding out that I hated smoking. I nearly smiled, but it faltered quickly. I felt obligated to stick by Peter's side. If my reaction time was quicker, he wouldn't have been shot. This was my fault.

"I'll watch over him. Go have fun," Bruce declared, sitting on the other side of Peter. He thumbed through new scientific research on the internet and his brown eyes glanced up to look at me through his glasses. He smirked slightly and waited for me to get up and leave.

I nodded. "Thank you." I stood up and followed Logan to the garage to retrieve his motorcycle.

Sleek black material padded the seating and the metal on the motorcycle shined as if it were new. Two small, brown leather bags clung to the back of the bike for storing whatever materials he took with him on his trips. Logan turned it on and the engine roared to life like a dragon. "Don't you just love the sound?" he questioned and grinned. He sighed in pleasure and left room for me to take a seat.

"I've missed the purr of your bike…" I trailed off after getting on. I've missed a lot of things in my life. Family. Friends. I missed being on missions in different areas of the world. I missed life in general. I've been kept up in this shell of murder for what is right and I never stopped to think of all the precious time I had wasted. I could have saved lives instead of killed, or even made a life for myself.

I was over-thinking things. I had to stop. I was always so overdramatic.

It took a while, but Logan finally chose a spot to sit in a random parking lot. He stopped the engine and parked the bike. He grabbed two beers out of the bag and handed me one as we walked over to the green grass area of the park. He plopped down on the ground and groaned, "Seeing you right now makes me feel old, Kid."

"Why?" I popped open the bottle and clinked it against his before taking a drink.

Logan's finger traced the label slowly. "I raised you. Now that you've stopped aging, I won't have to see you grow old. It's the fact that you're grown up that makes me feel like an old man." He stretched his legs out and drank some beer.

A moment of silence swept in and echoed the sounds of the park. Children played near the pond full of squawking ducks. Dogs barked and scampered around in a joyful move. Parents took pictures and called out to their kids. Cars buzzed by on the streets and horns honked. Bugs sang the song of their people and birds flew by, picking off their next meals from the ground.

Logan wrapped his arm around my shoulder and tugged me closer. "I remember when we used to sit outside and just look at the stars." A smile formed on his lips and a small chuckle arose from him. Fond memories played through his mind. "We would make up ridiculous stories and laugh…"

A light bulb lit up in my head. "Yeah. Remember there was a story where you said that there was a lady from outer space that created the craters on the moon? And she ended up starting a war with the moon people?"

Logan laughed fully this time. His eyes sparkled at the thought. "Oh yeah. Those were hilariously ridiculous. You were young, so I couldn't tell you anything too graphic. You had already seen so much destruction…" He swallowed some more beer and licked his lips. "I loved the story where your powers saved all of us from a villain. You were so creative when it came to you and the situation. You talked for hours and put so much effort into it…Coulda gotten famous if you wrote it, you know."

"I was thirteen. What did I know about writing a book? Plus, it is pretty cliché." I finished my drink off and watched Logan light up a cigarette. I used to laugh when he did that when I was little because Jean would walk by and smack it out of his hand. She scolded him for smoking near a child and gave me a lollipop. Jean… "How is everything back home?"

Logan hesitated and let go of some smoke in his mouth. He flicked the ash off of the front and took another drag. "Everything's fine. After my blast from the past, life became better. More peaceful. More…family oriented. Less dramatic and heartbreaking. Everyone is doing great. Bobby and Kit are together. Stor-"

I cut him off in sheer excitement, "They're _finally_ together? God, it's about time!"

He rolled his eyes and finished off his beer. He exhaled loudly. "Yup. Storm is taking college level classes to get a degree. Wade is…well….Wade. Rogue has a love interest."

"Oooo, that sounds awesome." I paused for a second and retraced what he said in my mind. "Wait…Blast from the past? What happened?"

"Long story short, I went into the past and saved the future. It uh…had to deal with the sentinels. You remember bits and snippets of that story."

I glanced down at the grass. _That event was the reason Stryker wanted to duplicate the sentinels…_

Logan set the empty bottle down. He licked the front of his teeth and looked down at the ground as well. He almost shook with every word he spoke, "You uh…you were killed in the future. I watched it happen with my own eyes…The sentinels had the ability to stop a mutant from using their powers with just contact to their skin. They held you down in a tub of acid until you stopped writhing…Then they locked you in there so you would never regenerate. It was the most terrifying thing I had ever seen, even to this day…"

My heart stopped. Imagining it sent chills down my spine and gave me goose bumps. It wasn't the fact that I was killed that scared me. It was the fact that Logan had to _watch_ it happen. The sentinels were out hunting mutants and slaughtering them. _I_ was made to do the same. My future could have ended up like that. Being a bounty hunter to exterminate my own kind sounded…hypocritical.

Logan saw me faze out of the moment and pulled me back in. He changed the subject to lighten things up, "You should come home sometime. Everyone misses you."

"Tell them I love them. I'll make it back one day. I promise." _Promise. I just hope I can keep it this time…_

Logan set his arms on his legs and his brown eyes looked out onto the horizon. "I really miss ya Lilly. Not having you there is weird. Everyone talks about you being this amazing person and their hero, and all this stuff…The kids really look up to you."

I scoffed. Children looking up to me? That took me by surprise. "They should look up to you guys. The X-Men are pretty badass and have stopped a few apocalypses."

"Yeah…well…" He trailed off and let a small silence kick in. He wanted to say something, but didn't know how to. I could see it on his face. His eyes landed on me to gain my attention fully. "I saw you tear up that woman the other night. You ripped her apart from the inside out."

I began to fidget with my hands nervously. Knowing him, he could say anything and mean it. Maybe he would say I'm a monster…

"You've got to take control of yourself. You can't just go around doing that. Nobody deserves that kind of death."

I shrugged my shoulders and tried to hold back the sick feeling in my stomach. "I don't know what happened. I was just so angry…"

He interrupted me, "Yeah, and then you went bat shit crazy. That fucker deserved it, but seriously Lilly. Don't get too out of hand like that. Your power is supposed to be for good, not evil."

 _Evil…_ "I was going to kill her anyway. That's what we do. Kill bad guys," I pointed out.

"Yeah. Just try not to let your anger get the best of you."

 

Logan drove back to the tower and grabbed his bag from the guest bedroom. On his way down, he passed by Steve and Bruce and bid them farewell. Steve made eye contact with me and smiled as he walked down the hall.

That was…different.

Logan went to say goodbye to Peter, but he was still sleeping. He signed his Get Well card on the side table and said he was a good kid. No doubt that Peter would fanboy when he saw it.

We came across Tony upon entering the living room.

"What, metal bones is leaving so soon?" Tony questioned as he squeezed by us.

Logan shot him a glare. "At least I'm strong enough to not need help from technology."

"And let me remind you how you got that way. Being injected with the strongest metal on the planet using technology is kind of a big deal, Wolverine," Tony shot back.

For some reason, they didn't get along. I didn't know if they were just butting heads or what, but it needed to stop.

Logan whispered under his breath, "Asshole." Before Tony could say a comeback, Logan flipped him off.

That surely made Tony shut up. Before he could leave, I apologized to him quietly for Logan's actions. Logan wasn't really controllable sometimes and didn't play nice with others that had Tony's sarcasm. Tony nodded and walked out of the room.

Natasha rose from the couch. It was movie night for her and Clint, so they had been watching a scary movie. Sometimes, I could hear Clint scream during a jump scare and Natasha would laugh at him. "Don't worry about Tony. He gets cranky when he doesn't see Pepper for a long time."

"It's not a problem." Logan hugged Nat. "Nice seeing you again, Natalia."

"Natasha. It's Natasha now." She smiled slightly and continued, "Be safe."

Barton walked out of the kitchen with a fresh cup of coffee in his hand. He reached out to shake Logan's hand. "Nice meeting you."

Logan firmly shook his hand and looked at him square in the eye. "You take care of my little Natali-Natasha or I will come back, and it won't be on good terms."

"Don't worry, she has that covered already. If I do anything, she'll be the one to kill me," Barton admitted and chuckled. He sat down with Natasha and played the movie.

Logan was about to enter the elevator until he pulled me in for a bear hug. "Take care. Call me if you need anything. Alright? I'm always up to fight some villains."

I nodded and patted him on the back. "I will. Don't get into any danger on the way home." He laughed and commented with something under his breath. I watched the elevator doors close and take away the only other man I had considered a father. _Hopefully I don't have to call him if we need help…I don't want to endanger more lives. I just hope Loki is easy to defeat and the government trusts us to do the job correctly._


	25. Chapter 25

White tiles. Plain, painstakingly white tiles mirrored what I was feeling. Blank. So far…27 tiles.

My eyes moved across a tile for a split second. _Damn…lost count._ I internally groaned and began to start over. _1…_ I had been laying in bed for over three hours.

Bored to death.

I had nothing else to do. No one to talk to. Everyone was asleep for once, but then again, it was two in the morning. It was peaceful in the tower. Quiet as a mouse. The only audible sounds were the whizzes and slurs of the power going through the walls and the soft hum from the air conditioning. Silence rang in my ears and sounded like the buzzing of a bee.

_12…_

A part of me still worried about Peter. He was in the process of recovery, but it was taking forever. I couldn't imagine the pain he was in, but we had no way around that. It had only been a month, so maybe I was just overreacting. He was on bed rest until he fully recovered and was able to start training again. Peter certainly didn't mind it. He caught up on his favorite shows, started new ones, and spent hours learning new material for his college courses.

On the other hand, I still felt the guilt. It ate at me like a deadly virus, picking constantly at my organs until it consumed all of it. If I would have seen the laser, I could've stopped the bullet before it hit anyone. I could have… I mentally beat myself up.

_25…_

A light tapping came from the wall.

My eyes shifted to where the sound originated from and my mind left the bored state it had been in. This was new. I waited for a second to see if what I had heard had been real. Steve talking to me in the middle of the night? I didn't even know he was awake.

"…. .." Loosely translated: _Hi._

Ah, Morse code. How I have missed you so. I used to talk to my mother at night using the code by tapping my pencil against my desk. My father thought I was studying, but my mother and I would have numerous conversations. She's the one that taught me, after all. My mother used to be in the Air Force. What she did, well, I wasn't too sure about that. She never discussed it with us. But, when she came home, she was extremely paranoid. She thought it would be useful under the circumstance if something happened and she told me to stay inside of my room and hide. The people in our house would never know what was going on, and they sure as hell weren't going to find me. It would have come in handy if Stryker hadn't taken us by surprise.

I hesitated with my hand hovering over the wall. I didn't know if this was a great idea. It could wake up Peter, who was sleeping across the hall. I replied. _Why are you still awake?_

Steve's fingers drummed against the wall. _Can't sleep._

"-- . / - --- --- .-.-.-" _Me too._ Wow. I forgot how long it took to code a simple sentence.

"-.-. .- -. / .-- . / - .- .-.. -.- ..--.." _Can we talk?_

Oh god. The dreaded 'Can we Talk?'. In any situation, it was a terrible thing. It either meant something good was about to happen, or something entirely excruciating. That was a gigantic difference. But what was it about this time? The fact that we fought while strategizing, or how I literally ripped the metal out of a woman's blood? God, I really hope it wasn't the latter.

"-.-- --- ..- / ... - .. .-.. .-.. / - .... . .-. . ..--.." _You still there?_

I was ripped out of my thoughts and focused. What he had to say might be important. I put my black framed glasses on and tiptoed out of my room. My finger nail scraped against the white wooden door. "--- .--. . -. / - .... . / -.. --- --- .-." _Open the door._

He did as I said and stepped back to let me inside. I walked around his room, finding hardly anything personal. He had plain furniture that was almost retro. An old record player sat in the corner on the dresser. A chair and a bookshelf was placed up against the opposite wall, leaving just enough space for the bed to fit. Framed photographs from World War II and of the Avengers decorated the plain crème colored walls.

"Why can't you sleep?" I questioned as I leaned against his dresser. I ran my hand through my messy hair and ruffled it. The answer might have been the same as mine, but it was always worth asking. Anything to get him talking was enough for me.

His blue eyes searched my tired eyes for any hint as to why I wasn't asleep. A few thoughts made him twitch. "Just a nightmare."

"Nightmare? What about?" War memories? Peggy? His family? It could have been anything, but as far as I could tell, it was really bothering him.

Steve rubbed his forehead and groaned. "My best friend. I lost him during the war." He stopped there and bit his lip. He closed his eyes.

Pure pain. Suffering. Something about that memory seemed to play in his mind over and over from what I could tell. "I'm…"

He cut me off, "No need to be sorry. He's…he's alive. Tried to kill me, actually. Bucky was brainwashed by Hydra and became the…"

This time, I interrupted him in a whisper, "The Winter Soldier…I remember him…" I shook my head in disbelief. That poor man was part of the Captain's past. A lost soldier with no memory of who he was or what he did. A man that was also out of time. "He was quiet. Always took orders. Never cracked a smile or talked to anyone."

"Bucky was completely the opposite. He constantly smiled and tried to find his next date. Certainly the group flirt if you ask me. Great dancer, too. Buck definitely knew his way around the crowd." Steve huffed with a small smile at the memory. "I just ask myself what if I never see him again? What if he's lost forever? Sam is looking for him right now, but what if his mind relapses and he doesn't remember anything?"

The room fell silent. I tapped my fingers against the dresser in thought. What was there to say to that? Something…Anything comforting might sound ridiculous. It was worth a try. "You will find him, Rogers. And when you do, he will remember you. I can promise you that. The brainwashing and freezing process is already weighing on his mind, but he will come around."

Steve nodded and waited a minute before changing the subject. The topic was sensitive for him, so talking about anything else might have been slightly comforting. "I am sorry about what I said when we were planning to invade. I shouldn't have fought with you," he stated as he sat down on the bed.

Steve Rogers apologizing? I should document this moment. Too bad there weren't any witnesses to confirm this ever happened. "It's fine. It's all in the past."

"I'm so used to making plans and having soldiers to follow them. They would trust me like I was their brother. Now…now all I have is my team. We all know how well they take orders…" He chuckled and looked down at the floor. He rubbed his hands together. "I wish I could go back into the past and live my old life. I have a family, the one I've dreamt about. Peggy would be there…" He stopped himself before he could say any more. The pain on his face amplified and he furrowed his brow. "I can never get used to this life. New aged television, movie graphics, technology, the people, or understand references to pop culture. I am a man out of time. I wish sometimes I could go back…"

I sat down next to him on his bed. I looked at him and waited until I thought of what to say. What could I say? Nothing would make him feel better. "You need to be here, Rogers. You're a big part of saving innocent lives. The world needs hope for the future, and Captain America is exactly what they need. You are an idol. Protector. Devilishly handsome." _Whoa, mind, calm down. I didn't mean to say that out loud._

He grinned and his blue eyes met mine.

I had the urge to look away, but I held my stare and continued, "You are the first avenger. You started it all, and look at where it's led. I'm glad you're here in the present, and I hope you wouldn't change a thing."

The gears in his mind turned. "I can be all of those things for the people. But they see me as just a soldier. I have emotions. I have free will. I don't follow orders all the time."

I scoffed, "Yeah. I know." He fought for what he believed was just. That's what made him courageous and an idol for the people.

Steve glanced away and his smile fell. His voice lowered to almost a hurt whisper, "I just don't want you to think that I'm incapable of having feelings."

 _Steve doesn't want me to think he doesn't have feelings? Jeez, I know the guy is human and has a heart. Otherwise, he wouldn't be Captain America._ I thought. "I don't think that, Rogers. Everyone has feelings. Even the most dastardly villain has feelings. I wouldn't expect you to not have any."

"Alright…good." He tapped his finger against his leg.

My guess? Seemed to be a nervous habit. Maybe a motion he did when he was sleep deprived. "Get some sleep, Cap. You need it." I rubbed my hand on his back as a token of comfort and got up to leave.

"Parker?"

I turned around and set my hand on the door frame, waiting for him to continue.

He stopped tapping his finger and looked up at me. "About those feelings…Do you want to get some coffee tomorrow or something?"

 _Now that was unexpected._ I smirked and replied, "Alright, but you're paying." Steve lit up at the answer before I left the room. _This is going to be interesting._


	26. Chapter 26

I opened the door after hearing a hard knocking sound. Steve stood leaning against the door frame, grinning slightly. A red cap sat on his head and black framed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. It all matched his brown leather jacket, white shirt, and blue jeans. A bouquet of flowers sat in his hands. "Hey. Are you ready?"

"What's with the getup?" I referred to his hat and glasses while I raised an eyebrow. I didn't think that he would ever wear things like that out in public. He didn't need the glasses, and the hat just looked tacky on him.

"Cover. Don't want to attract too much attention when we want privacy, right?"

I scrunched up my nose because I didn't think of that. "That's pretty smart. And your glasses actually match mine. I'm going to count that as a plus." I nervously unwrinkled my dark jeans and fixed my purple shirt. _What is wrong with me? Get yourself together, Parker._ I thought. My hazel eyes glanced at my black leather jacket to make sure it wasn't messed up. _Great. Now I'm being self conscious about myself._

"I know…" His ocean eyes locked onto mine and held out the flowers in his hand. A small blush formed in his cheeks. "For you, m'lady."

"M'lady? I know you're old, Rogers, but you're not _that_ old." I took the bouquet from his hands and instantly inhaled the sweet smell. _Steve Rogers is being really sweet. Is the world ending yet?_ I wondered and laughed at my own joke on the inside. "Thank you. They look wonderful." I put the flowers in a vase in the kitchen and set them on the table. Now it would be a great addition to the ambiance.

Steve led me down to the garage where his bike was. He strolled over to it and started it. The bike itself was a new sleek black Harley Davidson with thick padding to sit on. The metal shined in the dim lighting like it was freshly polished. The red lights on the handles flashed and steadied to indicate the engine was on and the brakes were set. His foot kicked down the stand and his blue eyes glanced up at me from behind his glasses. "Coming?"

"With you on that? No way," I quickly replied. Riding with Logan was one thing. I had known him for years and was practically raised trusting him. Steve? That's a different story.

One corner of his lips lifted slyly. "What? Afraid of a little adventure?"

"Adventure is my middle name. But on a motorcycle with you? Yeah. That seems a bit dangerous."

He raised an eyebrow and his smile faltered. "You really don't trust me?"

I scoffed and instantly answered, "Do you trust me?"

Steve stayed silent. He took off his cap and scratched his head. "Well…yeah."

I watched him put his cap back on and set his hands on the handles. That was the only confirmation that I needed. He said he trusted me. This moment was a big push in our relationship. "I trust you, Rogers." I walked over to the bike and sat down behind him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and watched the trees pass by as we rolled down the street.

The wind swept through my hair and the sun reflected off of my glasses. I closed my eyes and took in the various smells in the city. Trash. Freshly baked desserts. Delicious aromas of dinner platters caught my interest. Smoke from cigarettes hung in the air. I held tighter onto Steve and thought for a moment. _I've rode a motorcycle many times. This time…this time I felt a sense of freedom. No pun on Captain America intended._ I laughed at myself quietly. _I wonder where this is going to lead._

Steve pulled up to a busy coffee shop and parked the bike. "Barton said this was a good place to go to. I hope he's right." I fixed my hair and smiled as he opened the door for me. "Ma'am." He gestured me to walk in front of him.

I strolled inside and commented, "You should be nice all the time, Rogers. It suits you well."

Five people stood in front of us in line. The place was full of teenagers talking, laughing, and gossiping. Some took pictures with each other and sipped their drinks. Adults read a book silently in their seats or typed away at their portable laptops. Soft music from the radio played over the speaker system, creating a calm ambiance. Baristas worked quickly behind the counter to fix all the orders. I inhaled the smell of all the flavors of coffee in the air and exhaled in satisfaction.

Steve scoffed at me and stood next to me in line. His eyes glazed over as he looked at the menu. There were so many choices. "Back then, there was only black coffee, not…Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème whatever."

I laughed and glanced over at him. "Times change."

The lady in front of us ordered, "Hi. Gimme a grande, iced, sugar-free, vanilla latte with soy milk."

Steve furrowed his brow and turned his back to the lady. He mouthed to me, "What is that even supposed to mean? And no respect towards the barista, either."

I shook my head. Most customers were rude. I've come across too many in my life to say otherwise. People will be people. There's no changing that. When we got to the counter, Steve ordered two black coffees.

The barista furrowed her brow when she heard Steve's voice and scribbled down the order. She paused for a second. The barista glimpsed up after handing the order to another worker and inspected Steve. Her mouth moved, but nothing came out. The woman's eyes lit up and she almost started jumping up and down. Steve put his finger to his lips to motion her to be quiet. She nodded and motioned us to get out of line.

I snagged a small table by the window and sat down. Rogers followed and sat across from me, clasping his hands and immediately setting them on the table. He leaned forward and looked up at me from underneath his hat. "Pretty busy in here, huh?"

"Yeah. Gives us more privacy to talk about anything we want to without being listened in on. Right?" I pointed out and leaned back against the chair. _How am I going to approach this? Act casual? Joke around? Bicker like we always do? That always made us get along on some level. Testing each other was our thing._ Wait… _This is a real thing._ The reality didn't hit me until now. _I'm on a date with Steve Rogers…_ My mind buzzed with thoughts as I studied him. Rogers bit the inside of his cheek for a second and slightly cocked his head to the left. His bright sky eyes stayed locked on me and didn't move. _Did he ask a question? God, how long have I been lost in my thoughts?_

"Parker?" Steve tried to get my attention back. He raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth a little to say something else.

My head snapped to attention and I immediately apologized, "I'm sorry. Can you repeat that, please?" That was embarrassing. I couldn't last ten minutes without messing something up. I hadn't been on a date in a while, considering I always buried myself in my work. It was the only way to get on Johann's good side, but look where that turned out. All those years thrown down the drain because I had to see Peter. I only had myself to blame.

"How are you getting along with everyone at the tower?"

I hesitated, "Uhh…pretty good actually. I have a few arguments here and there with Tony. He's trying to remodel the floor that Bruce wrecked and Pepper says he should do something completely different. I side with Pepper and I fight with Tony about it. He feigns hurt…but other than that, I get along with everyone." Everyone…I still haven't forgiven myself for Peter's accident. A pain in the pit of my stomach formed and twisted my guts. I joked, "But this one guy…man is he a pain in my ass." I glanced down and then back up at him with a smile. "He's constantly picking fights with me and challenging my intelligence."

Steve rolled his eyes and huffed, "He sounds like a tough guy to get along with…"

I chuckled to myself and set my hand on his. "He's actually being nice to me for a change, and I have to say, I'm really enjoying it." My fingers glided over his rough hands and trailed the bones of his fingers.

The barista walked over to the table and handed us our drinks. Her hand lingered on Steve's cup and smiled. She winked at him and glared at me before walking away back to the front. Rogers turned his cup to see her phone number written on the side of it, accompanied by a heart.

"Guess I have competition, huh?" I asked and took a sip of my coffee. I retracted my hand from his and absorbed the warmth from the cup. I cringed and reached for the sugar packets Steve had brought to the table. The coffee was too bitter. Sugar never hurt anything.

Steve got a kick out of the comment and snickered. "No. You…You've managed to grow on me."

I almost spit my coffee out. I inhaled some of it and went into a coughing fit. I asked in between coughs, "What? Like…a tumor? That's how…you seem to act…"

He quickly went up to the counter to ask for water and brought it back to me. He made me drink some of it and clear my throat. Steve rubbed his hand on my back to help soothe me. "No. Nothing like that. You're just a part of me that I can't let go of now."

I nodded to him and motioned him to sit down. I groaned and stayed silent for a moment to get my bearings. _Why did that affect me so much? He just said he's liking me more than he has before._ "That's good to hear. I was afraid you were going to kick me off the team or something because of our bickering."

"You really think I'd do that?" He waited and only received a shrug in response. "If I had the power to do that, Stark would have been suspended a couple times by now," Steve chuckled and ran his finger along the brand name on the coffee cup.

Before another silence could kick in, I quietly asked, "Why the coffee shop date?"

Steve set the cup down on the table and stared at it. His eyebrow slightly twitched at the thought of his answer. "I know I wanted something different before I went into the ice…but that's not my life anymore. The man that came out of the ice wants something new." He moved his mouth for a couple of seconds and hesitated. His face changed to a soft shade of pink. "That starts with you."

I glanced around the café and thought of how to reply. My heart was flittering like crazy and I had to calm it down before I said something stupid. The same people were talking and laughing. Some were dancing. New people were in and out of the café with their orders. My eyes flickered back to one woman in the corner.

Black shades, tousled blonde hair, dark clothing. Her bright red fingernails tapped at the screen of her new Apple phone. She pursed her red painted lips when she caught me staring and quickly took the initiative to leave.

 _Son of a bitch…_ "We've been followed," I stated calmly. I instantly began pursuit with Steve following close behind. "Hydra agent. She was an old partner of mine. Quick. Agile. Not very smart." My brain couldn't form whole sentences. I had to keep it short and simple. I tossed my coffee into the garbage can and kept my eyes on her. She glanced back every once in a while, but she didn't seem worried.

"How are you so sure we aren't walking into a trap?" Steve questioned. His tone became grave and slightly confused. He glanced around the street. People were starting to watch them. They noticed the girl trying to get away from us, like we were the bad guys. Steve wrapped his arm around my shoulder and smiled. "At least make it to where we don't look suspicious. People are noticing."

 _Must be taking lessons from Tasha. He's never noticed things like that._ I pretended to laugh, but didn't take my eyes off of her. "You know, Rogers, sometimes you surprise me."

"Surprise you? Is that a good thing?" He tugged me closer to him.

"Any surprise is good nowadays. We're about to head into a war with Red Skull and Loki." I bit the inside of my cheek. My heart ached and I knew why. "Bad things are going to happen, Cap. Not all of us are going to make it out alive."

"We go out fighting then. Whatever it takes to put an end to their plans."

The woman turned the corner and locked eyes with me before she disappeared.

Steve was willing to die for humanity…But what if we failed and died for the cause? Who would protect the people then? S.H.I.E.L.D. was just _barely_ getting on their feet. There were maybe some scattered heroes around the world. But such a small group against a larger, more powerful one? There was no way.

We walked into the same alley she had and cornered her. She was stuck in a dead end on purpose. She thought she could take on me and _Captain America_? Come on. Get real. This was already a losing fight.

Or maybe Rogers was right. Maybe it was a trap. Too late for that now.

"Loki will be excited to hear about this little love affair going on. Finding weaknesses within the group is what is going to be your downfall," she spoke in her fake English accent.

"Cut the crap, Dahlia," I spit out and eyed her. It was all just a rouse to upset the Captain, maybe to bring up memories of the past and distract him. Chances were she was really working for Loki. She was a great spy, after all. Stirring up emotions and hurting loved ones is certainly something the God of Mischief would do. "Why are you following us?"

She took off her shades and threw them to the side, revealing her dark brown eyes. Dahlia stuffed her phone in her pocket as she talked, "Darling, it's not that hard to follow you." Her hands worked with her hair and put it into a ponytail. Her eyes glanced around to make sure no one was watching from above. "I'm here to take you back to Hydra, alive, of course. Don't need to shed blood so early, when the war is so close."

Steve stood straight and I knew he was getting ready for a fight. I cracked my knuckles as Dahlia got closer. _She has no chance up against us._ The thought floated through my mind.

Dahlia threw the first punch to my rib cage, but I simply blocked it and elbowed her in the shoulder. She cried out a short second and retaliated with a kick to the stomach. My hand came into contact with her face and sent her back, but I yanked her hair to keep her in place. Dahlia knew not to mess with me. She bit my arm and her nails dug into my skin. I threw her onto the floor and waited for her to get back up.

When she did, punches were thrown and kicks were made. Both of us screamed for a second before separating ourselves from each other.

 _Your powers are supposed to be for good, not evil._ Logan's words played through my mind on repeat as I iced Dahlia's feet to the ground. A sick feeling riled up in my stomach and distracted me. Dahlia punched me in the jaw and sent me flying backwards.

Steve hesitated. He didn't want to hurt a woman, but she was out of control. He took out a small metal ring and attached it to her skin. Dahlia shook for a second and fell to the floor unconscious. "Natasha said these electric rings worked like a charm. Guess she was right."

I didn't use my powers for evil. This was just. She was going to blab to Loki about everything. I couldn't let her jeopardize everything I have here. That could cause more deaths than we intended. This was for good. I stood up slowly and moved my jaw. It stung a bit, but it would get better.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked from his position.

I nodded once more. Rogers turned to leave, but before he could, I called out, "Steve…"

That was the first time I've said his first name. An invisible weight lifted off of my shoulders and relieved me. I hit the stage where I could move on from just friends to more than that. I've said everyone else's name, but saying his name was the last step to being completely comfortable around him after all the fighting we've been doing. Now, it was just a waiting game until he said my first name.

He turned around and lifted his red cap. Steve's blue eyes locked onto mine and he ruffled his hair as he waited patiently for me to continue.

"Thank you for the coffee." I couldn't manage to say any more than that. I was truly thankful, and even more thankful to have a guy like him in my life.

He grinned. "We should have another, sometime." Rogers leaned against the wall at the entrance to the alley and surveyed the area.


	27. Chapter 27

Steve walked into the plain, dark room and sat down in the chair opposite of our hostage. I followed and closed the door behind us. One light lit the room, which hung over the metal table. The atmosphere was cold, but things were only going to heat up.

Dahlia rolled her eyes as she sat tied to her chair. Agent Delores, age twenty eight, worked for Hydra most of her life. High school drop out and the agency's worst technician, Dahlia joined the field work early on. She killed her own family and didn't shed a tear, so add cold hearted to the list of her traits. She got paired up with me, and together, we did what our boss told us to. She was very bright, but not the best under pressure. I had admired her work once, but that was a long time ago.

I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms over my chest. "Dahlia, what a nice surprise. We _really_ need to catch up."

"Catch up? There's nothing to catch up on with a traitor like you," she hissed back. Her chocolate eyes glared at me as she barred her teeth.

Steve set his hands on the table and clasped them together. He raised an eyebrow, but kept a straight face. "You need to tell us what Loki and Red Skull has planned."

"Why in _hell_ would I tell you?" Dahlia snapped. She tried to get out of the handcuffs, but ended up hurting herself instead. She blew the blonde hair out of her face and groaned.

I slowly stepped towards her. "Because I have the opportunity to force it out of you," I sneered back.

"Are you really going to beat me up, Lilly Parker? I thought S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't into beating their hostages senseless," Dahlia questioned with a twisted smile.

She thought she had won. Oh, how wrong she was. I cracked my neck and chuckled to myself. My hazel eyes flickered back to her and held a glint of mischief. I leaned over the table to get closer to her and waited for a second. Dahlia straightened up and glanced away. She was never the type to look her opponent in the eye. "I don't work for them. I work alongside them. There's a difference."

Dahlia's eyes twitched for a second. She looked straight ahead at Cap, hoping he would hold me back. That was the great part. He wasn't going to.

Steve leaned back in his chair comfortably and watched her with his blue eyes. "Where's Loki?" A few moments of silence kicked in. Steve didn't move an inch. "What is he planning?"

Rogers nodded his head. I took that as a sign and punched her directly in the eye. Dahlia cringed and closed her eyes tightly. Silence followed, allowing me to pop her in the jaw. She moved her tongue around and spit some blood out on the floor. Her brown eyes glared at me, but still, she said nothing. I hit her a few more times and tightened the cuffs on her wrist before she finally gave up.

Dahlia cried out, "Stop! Fine! I'll tell you."

I backed away and shook my hand out. My knuckles were on fire and bruised, but it would go away soon enough. "Give us everything you have." Steve got up and held his chair out for me. I gladly sat down and set my hand against the cold metal table.

"Loki has a plan, and the Avengers will never win." She stopped there and waited for a reaction.

Steve got annoyed and replied, "You're wrong. What he's doing is being a dictator. This country is based on freedom, not on the rule of some trickster god. The world doesn't need a ruler. It needs unity. Equality. Something one ruler can't grant to the world."

Dahlia scoffed and spit out some blood at me. "He's gathered the Asgardian army, along with Hydra's soldiers. Putting them together makes it an army that's nearly unstoppable. The serum to make them invincible didn't quite work. He's thrown that idea away and focused on training them better." She twitched her nose and blinked a few times to clear her eyesight. Her bruised eye started to close from the swelling. "He's going to start the war in Chicago on April 20th. That's all I know."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Dahlia." Steve motioned for me to get up and follow him. Steve reached for the door until she began to talk again.

"Oh, and Lilly? I'll be sure to inform Loki that the mutants are involved now. They'll be on his hit list before he takes full rule of the world."

I clenched hands into fists, but didn't turn around. Steve tensed up and stopped short of his hand landing on the door handle.

Dahlia laughed maniacally. She flipped her blonde hair back over her shoulder in an attempt to remain cool. "I've read your file. Your love for your cousin…Peter? Is it? Is stronger than your love for Hydra. That sickens me."

"What would you know about family? You killed your family in cold blood," I shot back as I turned around. My blood started to boil inside of my veins.

"Killing my family set them at peace. I'm making way for the future, don't you get it?" Her brown eyes emitted off waves of crazy. "We'll set your family at peace too. I'll kill Peter first. Then, I'll find out where your mutant family lives. You can help me set them at peace. Loki will be more tha-"

I cut her off by taking out my adamantium claws and sliced her throat.

The hostage choked on her own blood. The red plasma dripped from her mouth and fell onto the floor around her. "Hail Hydra." Dahlia's head crashed against the table top, splattering blood all over the metal. Her blonde hair covered her face and her brown eyes closed.

I realized I was breathing heavily and calmed down. I retracted the claws and wiped the blood on my knuckles onto her shirt. Having her blood on my skin made me cringe out of my sheer hatred for everything she believed in. She looked at Hydra and thought it was the future. Future? Red Skull wanted to kill everyone who didn't believe in his cause. What a future that would be. I exhaled loudly and turned to Steve, who was glaring at me. I moved my mouth to speak, but I couldn't find the right words fast enough.

Steve swung the door open and stormed out of the room. He didn't take a second to look back at me or even give me enough time to explain myself. He tried to get the elevator to close once he was inside, but I was too fast. "I can't believe you just did that."

"She gave us enough evidence. She stalled up until the very last minute to buy herself time. Time for what? I don't know," I quickly answered. No. What I did was right. What was he thinking? The elevator stopped after making a small bell sound, making the doors open. I followed him through to the empty living room and almost crashed into him when he stopped.

He knit his eyebrows together in frustration and looked at me with cold eyes. Steve's mouth twitched at the next few words he was going to say, but he managed to push them out of his throat. "That was sloppy work. You were reckless and didn't think before you acted."

My chest ached and the word ran through my mind repeatedly. _Reckless. Reckless. Reckless._ That word was a slap in the face. It punched me in the chest and made me want to heave out what I had for lunch. _Maybe I did let my anger get the best of me…_ "Excuse me for getting upset. She just threatened my whole family right there and then. Tell me you wouldn't do the same if this was reversed." Steve remained quiet and crossed his arms over his chest, so I continued, "She's a bully's henchman. Dahlia was going to blab to Loki, and someone I love was going to get beat up or killed. How can I stand by with full knowledge of it and not do anything?"

Steve turned his back to me and set his arms to his sides. "I don't know what to tell you, Ms. Parker," his cold tone cut through my skin and sliced my heart.

I put my hands up in the air in defeat. There was nothing I could say or do that could change this. "I'm sorry. What's done is done. We can't change it."

"You're damn right we can't." Rogers walked off to the elevator and got inside.

I watched him until he left. He purposely avoided eye contact with me, his face a blank slate. I couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling. _He's upset with me…Great._ I fell onto the couch and put my head in my hands.

"Take cover!" Rogers called out. A loud boom followed and blew shrapnel in the surrounding area. Rubble covered the ground and a strong smell of gunpowder hung in the heavy air. Buildings fell apart in the background. People screamed at the top of their lungs. Blood had been splattered everywhere and some bodies were scattered about.

I glanced around in panic. Clint laid on the ground with a few bullet wounds to the chest. His arrows were broken around him and his bow was lodged into his stomach. I covered my mouth before I could gasp. Tony hung from one of the metal rods sticking out of a building. The rod protruded through his stomach and blood dripped from his wound. The light in his armor flickered on and off until it completely died out.

"We're going to need more reinforcements, Rogers!" Natasha yelled. She ran across the battlefield and shot some enemies in the chest. She hopped on one guy's shoulders and snapped his neck with her thighs. Nat shocked one guy before using him as a shield for oncoming bullets.

"Tell me something I don't know!" Steve screamed out, "Nat, watch out!"

One of the Asgardian swords went through her chest. Nat arched her back and tried to get free, but another guy came out in front of her and shot her in the head. Her body slunk backwards and fell farther down on the sword as her emerald eyes stared at the sky.

I went to punch a guy coming up behind Peter, but my hand ghosted right through him. "No…" I thrust my hand out and attempted to freeze the enemy, but nothing happened. "I'm…not here…"

"Hulk, do you have eyes on Lil-" Steve stopped and punched a guy in the nose, sending him backwards. He threw his shield at some men surrounding him and knocked them out.

"No. She's still dead," Hulk replied in a grave tone. He ran and smashed up a few more buildings with enemies in them.

 _Dead? I died that fast on an important mission like this?_ I looked at my hands. They were transparent. "No…No, no, no, no!"

Peter hit the ground with a thud. I glanced up and screamed at the sight before me. A Hydra agent had chopped his head clean off with a serrated blade. Blood started to pool around his body and his web shooters started to spark. Smoke erupted from the technology, and died out.

 _I died, but I'm watching my friends die too? This isn't real. It can't be._ I shut my eyes tightly for a few seconds. _It's not real…_

My eyes snapped open back in reality and saw the Avengers' tower living room. _Stop! Stop…I…I have to let go of my fears. I can't win this war with them._ I shook my head and cried out in pain. I never thought I would feel this pain, the fear of losing everything in my life. It huddled up in the pit of my stomach and weighed me down. My body felt like it doubled in weight. It was almost like the feeling of despair, but only amplified ten times in order to screw me over. I had to let go. Sometimes, you just got to learn how to let go. This was one thing I couldn't mess up. The whole world was depending on us.


	28. Chapter 28

"I miss you, Jane," Thor spoke into Barton's phone. A smile plastered itself to his face accompanied by some blush. He wandered around the room aimlessly as he spoke to her. He chuckled and glanced out the window overlooking the city. "Jane?" Thor's face scrunched up in confusion. "I can't hear you."

I set my food down and walked over to him, taking the phone away. My eyes searched for the problem as the call ended. I made sure the volume hadn't been turned down or he didn't mute anything. Nothing was wrong. "Hm…" I hummed. The last thing I noticed was he didn't have any service on the phone. "Hey, Clint," I called out.

"What?" Barton questioned as he flipped through the channels on the television. He didn't care to glance over or get up.

I threw his phone towards him and it landed on the couch next to him. "Did you forget to pay the phone bill again? Your phone doesn't have any service."

"That's weird," Clint replied and messed around with the phone.

Steve didn't look up from his book. He sat in the corner of the room next to the window, taking in sunlight. He spoke up, "I paid the bill yesterday for everyone. Clint was too busy yesterday to do it."

"He was sleeping," I pointed out. If that counted as being busy, I was busy most of the time.

"Yeah, I know," Steve replied. He moved in his seat and held his head up with his hand. All of us remained silent for a few moments, curious to know what had happened. Steve furrowed his brow and he put a book mark in the page he was on. His blue eyes glanced up at us and his voice lowered, "You don't think there could be a jammer anywhere, do you? That would mean…"

A loud eruption originated from the windows, glass shattering everywhere. We all took cover and almost panicked. Thor reached his hand out and waited for Mjolnir to fly to him. Barton tucked and rolled over to the small floor cabinet and retrieved a bow and a quiver of arrows. Steve ran to get his shield from his room. I quickly looked up from my position and saw a few Hydra agents infiltrating the room.

I threw fire at them and moved out of Mjolnir's path. Some agents lit on fire and screamed out, flinging their arms around to try to get their armor off. Thor's hammer flew down the hall and into his hand. Thor smacked a few guys in the chest and swung Mjolnir around. Some of the agents flew out of the window and others into the wall. Thor flew out of the window to find out where the agents were coming from.

Barton shot arrows off like no tomorrow. He hit his targets dead on in the chest, arm, head, anywhere he could do some damage. Agents dressed in black armor piled in one after the other, filling the room like a school of fish.

I flung my hand upwards, controlling the agents' guns and throwing them to the ceiling. They all stared at the weapons in wonder before turning their attention back to us. I threw the guns into the corner and attacked. My hands frosted over and froze some of the agents' heads and limbs. They retaliated with a knife and cut me up a bit, but I kicked one of them out of the window and knocked some down.

Steve's shield came out of nowhere and hit the frozen agents. Their limbs shattered into pieces, causing them to either scream from shock or die. The shield bounced off of several walls and back into Steve's hand. He hit some agents in the knees and others in the back. They fell and Steve made sure they were unconscious.

Barton reached for another arrow, but came up with nothing. He unlatched the switch on the bow and it broke into two pieces. He took a piece in both hands and pushed a button. He electrocuted the agents he hit and sent them down to the ground.

Stun baton. Nice edition, Hawkeye.

Steve used hand-to-hand combat after throwing his shield again. I used my powers to put more force into the shield's momentum and made it hit more guys. "Where's everyone else?" I questioned.

"Nat and Bruce took Peter out for dinner. They won't be back for a while," Clint replied as he uppercut a guy in the jaw. He cried out in pain when hit in the rib cage, but retaliated at the agent with an electric shock to the abdomen.

"Good," I said and threw my hands in the direction of the window. I created a portal for the entering agents to fall into and made the other portal outside of the building. They fell all the way down and hit the sidewalk with a splat.

Iron Man walked out of the elevator and pointed his hand at the agents. A sharp sound went off and a blast flamed from his hand. It hit the agents and sent them flying backwards with gaping holes in their chests. "Why did you guys start the party without me? This always happens."

"We had no other choice," Captain America declared as his hand made contact with a woman's stomach. He grunted and was knocked down by another agent.

Hawkeye continued on that thought, "You're always late to make a big entrance anyway."

"True," Tony agreed and blasted a few more agents away.

An agent charged at me and hit me in the head with his fist. I stumbled into the next room and held onto the wall. The guy came at me with a knife, and I quickly kicked it out of his hand and hit him in the rib cage. He eyed the weapon when it crashed against the floor and dove for it. I created a portal, and when he fell through it, I created another one on the other side of the room, making him fly into the wall. His head clashed with the wall and knocked him out.

I breathed heavily and leaned my head back. _Why would they invade the tower? Did they think they were going to win?_ I grabbed the pistol from the guy's belt and checked it for ammo. _A whole clip…That could be useful._ I stuck the gun between my pants and my back and noticed somebody was standing in the corner of the room.

Loki.

His greased black hair slicked towards the back of his head and his piercing blue eyes observed me. Loki's envy green overcoat adorned with gold armor plating covered the back of his sleek, leather black wrap-shirt and dark pants. His black boots clicked against the floor lightly as he stepped towards me. His low and ominous voice echoed against the walls, "Lilly, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Can't say the same to you, Loki," I remarked. My fingers stretched out and snow flakes flew off of them. I had to be on my toes around him, especially since he's a big part of the destruction that's going to happen. _If I could just take him out now…_ That was going to be harder than I thought. He's lived longer than I have and I'm sure he had tricks up his sleeve.

He locked his hands behind his back. "What? Not happy to see me? Can't say I'm disappointed, though. I don't want to be here either."

I raised an eyebrow and held my hand out. The tips of my fingers turned light blue from the immense cold. "Then why are you here?"

Loki hummed for a second and thought. His eyebrows knit together in a confused state. "You know, I haven't thought about that until now," he murmured.

That was a lie. God of Mischief arrives at the Avengers tower unannounced? This had trouble written all over it.

"Why do you have to be so defensive around me? Scared?" When I didn't answer, he continued, "Thinking about that family you have?"

 _He couldn't know about that…Right? Unless he's been in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files from before the fall. Fury included it in my file…_ "Clearly you don't know me. I don't have a family other than Peter."

"And…what's his name? It always escapes me…" He tapped his finger against his lips in contemplation. "Lucas?" My hands curled into fists. "Logan?"

I scowled and chucked ice daggers at his chest. They went right through him, which threw me off. A sound came from behind me and a dagger dug into my shoulder blade. I groaned and kicked him in the leg. My hand brushed against his face and burned him with fire. He jerked away and threw me into the wall.

I groaned loudly. I created a portal in front of me right before he went in for a kick and made the other one behind him. Loki ended up kicking himself in the butt and launched into the portal, falling endlessly into the portal over and over. When I finally got my bearings and got up, I ended the portals existence. Loki hit the floor with a thud and held his head in his hands. "What, never took a trip like that before?" I inquired with a slight smirk.

A Hydra agent came in and threw a knife at me. I dodged it and went in for an attack. My fist came into contact with his shoulder and my knee hit his stomach. The agent yanked my hair back and I shrieked.

"Ouch, that's got to hurt," Loki commented from the sidelines. He wobbled when he stood up, but managed to control it.

The agent took out another gun and aimed it at my face. I grabbed his hand and pointed it at the wall, making the bullet miss me. My ear rang and disoriented me, making my vision blur. I shut my eyes tightly and bit the man's arm. His scream seemed like a distant noise, even when he was right in front of me. I threw the gun into the air and clashed my head against his. He let go of me and lost his footing, falling backwards into the wall behind him.

I held out my hand and used my powers to take a hold of the gun the agent had released. I pulled the trigger and shot the agent in the head a few times, making sure the bullets went through his helmet. I took the clip out and threw the gun away, stashing the remaining ammo in my pant pocket.

Loki's voice boomed against the walls, "Look at what you've become. A monster, just like me. The very thing you want to defeat."

I wiped the sweat off of my brow and put my hands on my hips. The anger inside of me intensified and took over. "No. He was going to kill me. That's self defense." _Who is he to tell me that I'm a monster? I'll show him a monster._

He chuckled and tilted his head slightly. He grinned widely, showing off his pearly white teeth. "That's what you think."

Before I could reply, someone else charged into the room. The agent gave me a questioning look with his dark eyes. I charged at the man and kicked him in the arm. It originally was supposed to hit him in the head, but he moved. I hopped onto his back when he turned and kicked the back of his shin forcefully. That move would have taken most agents down, but he still stood.

"Let it all out, my dear Lilly. Don't let the Avengers soften you."

 _Soften? I…I haven't done a lot since I've been here. I can barely lay a hand on this Hydra agent. They are making me soft._ I thought angrily. The agent threw me into the wall and backed away, but didn't do anything else. I ran at him, hands clenched into fists.

Loki watched the fight in anticipation. "You're tougher than them. You were made to be a weapon of mass destruction."

The agent blocked all of my punches, but didn't make a move on me.

"You were created to make blood shed from your victims," Loki added  menacingly.

My foot came into contact with the agent's shin, taking him down on one knee. _Oh, so now it works?_  I elbowed him in the shoulder and watched as he fell to the floor. _Why isn't he fighting back?_ I pushed the thought away and took out the pistol. He was going to kill me. I just had to take him out first. I aimed the gun at his head. Sweat poured down the side of my face and dripped down my neck. My erratic breathing didn't help as adrenaline pumped through my veins like there was no tomorrow. Adrenaline was my drug. It felt so good to be that way again, living from moment to moment, not knowing what was going to happen next. It was the thrill of fighting. My mind clouded over and I felt like I wasn't in control anymore.

"Don't shoot me," the man pleaded. His brown eyes widened in fear. His chest heaved for air to go into his lungs and his hands shook as he held them up in defense.

"Do it. Kill him." Loki cheered me on from the corner of the room. His icy blue eyes watched me intensely and his lip twitched in satisfaction. His voice boomed in the room, "Kill him!" My hand coiled around the gun tighter and my finger danced around the trigger. I almost gave in to Loki's commands until something went horribly wrong.

The magic switched off and instead of a Hydra agent laying on the ground begging, it was Steve.

I paled instantly and dropped the gun. Steve caught it before it had the chance to go off and aimed it in Loki's direction, but he disappeared. My hands began to shake as I stumbled backwards, trying to get a grasp on what just happened. My hazel eyes looked around frantically. _It was a trick. That's what Loki wanted. He wanted me to take out someone in the group, or at least stick us against each other._ My stomach churned and my insides burned. I had to force air to go into my lungs before I managed to whisper, "I'm…I'm so sorry…I didn't know…"

Steve set the gun down and put his hands in the air towards me. His blue eyes locked onto mine and his face settled in a painful expression. "It's okay," he said soothingly. Steve took one step towards me and tried not to scare me off.

That was the thing, though. It wasn't him I was afraid of, or this moment. It wasn't how easily tricked I was into doing whatever Loki wanted. What scared me was…well, me. I sprinted out of there and headed towards my room.

"Lilly!" Rogers called out as he trailed behind me. His boots clinked against the tiled floor loudly as he dodged all of the bodies and glass laying on the ground.

The way he yelled my name rang in my ears. I wanted the first time of him saying it to be in a calm manner, and definitely under better circumstances. Maybe after our next coffee date or in a whisper to get my attention during a movie. Maybe he could have said it in a sweet way after he complimented me or told me how he truly felt about me. Maybe he would have said it after telling me he had feelings for me.

No.

The first time he said my name was right after I almost shot him square in the face. My bedroom door slammed shut and I locked it immediately. I backed away from it and waited a few seconds. My hands ran through my hair and pulled at it stressfully. _I almost killed Steve. I would have been the team-killing monster. The press would have a field day…'New Avenger Murders Captain America'…'The One Who Shot Our Beloved Hero'…"Woman Slaughters Freedom and Everything it Stands For'…Who knows how many team members I could have killed._

Steve slid across the floor and hit his fists against the door. "Lilly, open the door." He tried to use the door handle to open it, but it wouldn't budge. He banged on the wood with his hands and toned his voice down a bit, "Lilly, please, open up."

Rogers could have easily broken down the door, but he didn't. My eyes glanced down at my hands. _I almost killed the guy I like…No one would forgive me…Not even myself…_ My heart sank. I shut my eyes tightly and moved my lips to cry out and scream, but nothing came out. I felt fire spread from the end of my palm to my finger tips. The flames licked the ends of my fingers and spread farther and farther down my arm until it reached my elbows. The feeling of getting stabbed in the heart with shards of glass came over me. Everything hurt. A few minutes ago, I was on top of the world's best adrenaline high. Now…now I was at the bottom in a pain I hadn't felt in years.

Steve kept trying to get inside of my room. His voice went through stages of tones from anger, to calm and collected, to sadness all in twenty minutes. Rogers said he'd take me for a walk. Get some fresh air. Maybe have another cup of coffee. He'd tell me more war stories or how much he wanted to hear more about my family. "I'll do anything. Anything. Just please…come out." He tried to get me to consider opening up because everything was alright. Everything would be fine.

It wasn't. Everything would be fine? I nearly blasted his brains out. Nothing was fine, or anywhere close to it. I couldn't just go out and have coffee to calm down and laugh about this later.

I don't know my limits. I'm chaotic. Waves of the bodies of my victims fill the road I've journeyed on throughout my life. How could I think I was something good? I'm nothing more than a monster. A weapon created to end all of those I love. Something parents told their children about at night to scare them. Nothing more. Nothing less. After all, that's what Stryker created me for.


	29. Chapter 29

"Lilly," Steve slid down against the door and sat on the floor. He struggled to say something and sighed loudly. "You were tricked. It's alright. I understand. I really like you, Lilly. I don't want you to blame yourself."

Easy for him to say. He had never been tricked that way before. _Blaming myself is the only thing I can do…_ I put my head in my hands as I leaned forward on the bed. I groaned and curled up into a ball on my bed. I heard him say it. _He really likes me._ Those words rang in my ears and lifted my heart a bit.

Steve had been at the door for an hour by now. His persistence was a strong quality of his, but right now, I didn't care for it. "Have I told you about Peggy?" His voice became quiet, almost like a whisper.

I perked up and listened intently. This was the first time he actually talked about her in front of me. He was really opening up to me.

"She…uh…" He hesitated and tried to piece words together. His voice shook a bit, "She was my first love. Back then, women in the military weren't treated as they are today. But, she made it through. Peggy's strong will and drive for success is what got her to be one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D.. She believed in me when everyone else saw me as a joke. An experiment with no purpose. A one man army that no one needed." Steve cleared his throat. This must have been a hard topic for him. "She's the reason I even got to be Captain America in action. She was my first kiss. Her voice was the last I heard before I went into the ice…"

I stayed quiet. My heart ached for a whole other reason now. Before he went into the ice, he probably hoped to start a life with Peggy. After he came out, she's too sick to even remember him at times. That's why he wanted something new. His love for her would never go away, but at least he could love someone else and try to be happy. And as he said at the café, that started with me.

Steve sucked in a breath and chuckled, "You're a lot like her. Strong. Tactical. Caring. Determined. Lovable…"

I waited for him to say more. Comparing me to a loved one warmed my heart. Knowing how badass Peggy was, it gave me more confidence. That wasn't going to help the fact that I almost killed him, though.

Natasha's voice became audible and got closer to the door. "Come on, Rogers. Give her some time." A rustling sound echoed against the wall and went away. She must have taken him to the living room or something.

A knock rose from the door. "Lilly, open up," Peter stated. When he was greeted with silence, he wiggled the door handle and pushed against the door. "Lilly, let me in."

 _If I didn't let Steve in, what makes him think I was going to let him in?_ I thought to myself in wonder. I just wanted to be alone. Didn't the boys understand that? I could have killed Steve. I was easily tricked into doing something I would have regretted for the rest of my non-ending life. I just…wanted to let it sink in before I had to face him again.

The outside hall fell silent. When I strained to listen, I could hear the faint sounds of the television playing a comedy. Somebody slammed the fridge door shut. Natasha laughed and Clint struggled with something. They were probably cleaning the floor from the bodily fluid and bodies littering it.

A loud crash came from above me. _Must be Tony dropping something again. Pepper needs to teach him how to fix his clumsiness._

The small door to the vent in the wall hit the floor. Peter soon followed and crashed against it, moaning in slight pain.

I rushed to him. Had he been hurt? He was still recovering from the bullet wound to the shoulder. "Peter, why did you crawl through the vent? You could have opened your wound! Or stuck."

He opened his brown eyes and looked up at me. His eye twitched from the pain and sat up slowly. "I'm nimble enough to do that. How do you think I scare Clint sometimes?"

"All of you scaring each other is ridiculous." I got up and faced the window. It was cloudy. The sun's rays peeked out from behind some clouds, but went away after a few minutes.

"Eh, it passes the time." Peter ruffled his messy brown hair and adjusted his glasses. He fixed his gray shirt and blue jeans before talking again, changing the topic completely. "You know, it wasn't your fault."

"How do you even know? You weren't here…" I trailed off. The scene replayed right before my eyes like a silent movie. My finger was so close to the trigger…

Peter stretched his arms carefully and stood up. "Clint called and said there was a code black. Loki had been here. Whatever he made you do, it's not your fault."

"I'm a monster, Peter. He could have tricked me into killing the whole team."

He quickly replied, "But you didn't. We've all been deceived before. You're not a bad person."

I didn't say anything and crossed my arms. I could defend myself all I wanted, but there's no way I could get him to think differently. He was stubborn like Aunt May. Maybe I could tell him how I felt. "Peter…"

He spun me around and put his hands on my shoulders. His eyes gazed into mine deeply and made sure he had my attention. "Where is the Lilly that's proud to be a mutant? That Lilly kicks ass. She's no different than the rest of us. Most of us were created to be the way we are now and we chose to be heroes. People might see us as monsters in a way, but that doesn't stop us from doing good. Monsters aren't just horrible things. They can be good too."

"I…I…" I stuttered and my eyes widened. I hadn't thought about it like that before.

He continued, "Embrace it, Lilly. All of us are in danger everyday and we don't have time to mope about what could have been. We don't have time in general. We need you to be on alert. We need you to be okay. We're a team and we need to stick together if we're going to win this war."

All of that…actually made sense. Steve was engineered to be a super soldier. Peter was bitten by a radioactive spider. Bruce soaked up a bit too much gamma radiation. They were still heroes. Sure, at first they must have felt like me, but they chose to do good. They chose to save people. Now that he opened my eyes to that, I felt a lot better about myself. "When did you get so wise?"

Peter fixed my crooked glasses and one corner of his mouth lifted. "I've had time to think while recovering."

I shouldn't be mad at myself. I should be pissed off at Loki. He almost made me kill Steve. If I hadn't been tricked, none of this would have happened. Yeah, I had the capability of killing the team, but I couldn't help that. It's how I was made. That didn't mean I was going to go on a murder spree like I was meant to. I could choose to do good. And I will. My heart ached with guilt still. I didn't think I was a bad person, but I still almost blew Steve's brains out. _I almost killed him…_ "Thank you, Peter."

He sat down on my bed, pleased with giving a great little speech. He could tell I was doing a lot better now. He couldn't even wait to change the subject, "How did your date with Steve go? You never told me."

I sat down next to him. He was going to bug me until he heard something about it. I knew that. "It went…great. He was very nice for once." I smirked at the memory.

"Ooooo, Lilly has a crush on Steve! Lilly has a crush on Steve!" Peter sang with the biggest grin on his face.

I pushed him over. "Shut up. You're such a child."

"You know, you're dating a man three times your age."

I gasped. "Shut up! He was frozen! He's still like…" I stopped and knit my eyebrows together. I didn't know how old he was.

Peter pointed at me and laughed, "Hah! I got you."

"Whatever. There's still more time to learn things about him."

Peter read news articles to me and talked about what he was learning in school. His brown eyes sparkled the whole time, so I didn't stop him. Peter showed me random videos and stayed up with me until he conked out on my bed.

That was hours ago.

I glanced at the clock. _Three in the morning. Steve will be up soon for his morning jog._

Peter snored and stretched out on my bed. His brown hair stuck out in certain places and his brown eyes moved under his eyelids. His fingers twitched and his mouth hung open. Peter's wound was still healing. Only two more months to go before the doctor says he can go back into training. We had exactly two more months until April, but who's to say Loki won't start sooner than that? What was he waiting for?

We needed Peter in this war. Hopefully, he'll be okay.

I paced around my room. By now, everyone was asleep and the tower was silent. I was surprised that Steve actually fell asleep. But, on the other hand, that was good. Anytime any of the Avengers got some sleep was a good thing. They all usually just exhausted themselves so much that their bodies forced them to sleep. Except for Clint. He could sleep anywhere at anytime. He's been doing better lately.

I slowly opened my door, not wanting to make any kind of noise or indication that I was leaving my room. When the coast was clear, I tiptoed to the kitchen to get something to drink. When I turned on the light, I clutched my chest and bit my lip so I didn't scream.

Clint was perched on the countertop with his eyes wide open. He snored and continued sleeping.

I could never understand how he slept like that. Perched on a countertop in a cold kitchen while wearing gray sweats and a purple shirt, all just to scare Tony? That took commitment. I waved my hand in front of his face and cringed. "God, that's creepy," I whispered under my breath before waking him up.

He snapped to attention and knit his eyebrows together. A frown settled on his lips. "You're not Tony."

"No duh," I remarked and searched inside of the fridge for a water bottle.

Clint sat down and dangled his legs over the edge of the counter. He wiped his face to wake himself up and ruffled his hair. His light blue eyes followed me as I went around the kitchen in a search for something to snack on. "What happened?" When I didn't answer, he huffed. My body tensed up at the memory and Barton noticed. "You know you can tell me. We didn't get along at the start, but I think we can make this work. We're friends. Comrades. You know about me and Tasha. I can keep secrets too."

I set my water bottle and bag of chips down and turned around to face him. I was going to have to share my experience with somebody other than Peter, or maybe even the whole team. Might as well start now. I sucked in a deep breath and glanced around the kitchen. "Loki tricked me into thinking Steve was a Hydra agent. I almost killed him."

Clint's confused face softened upon hearing those words. His eyes held a deep pain in them, almost similar to mine. He ran his hands along the counter as he admitted, "I've been deceived by Loki too. He…controlled me. Got inside my head. Made me spill everything I knew to him." He glanced away and choked on the next few words he was going to say. "Then he made me almost kill Natasha…"

I bit the inside of my cheek. He remembered the pain. I saw it on his face. He remembered everything. The feeling didn't go away. He still ached. The guilt probably weighed him down. "Well, I guess two makes a club," I joked, trying to lighten the mood a bit. "Anyone else been tricked by him?"

"The trickster god?" Clint scoffed and looked back at me. "The club could be half of the galaxy."

"How did you deal with almost killing her?" I whispered. For some reason, I was worried about the answer. Frightened. The feeling hadn't gone away for him. Maybe never will. Maybe that's how it'd be for me.

He rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. Such a frustrating question. "I haven't forgiven myself for it." He stopped and his eye twitched at the memory. He blinked a few times and his face fell blank. "She had it handled. Nat wasn't going down without a fight. I've tried to make up for it, but she keeps saying that I have." He hopped off of the counter and walked towards me. "You just gotta learn how to let it go."

I nodded slowly and let the words sink in. _Learn how to let it go…_ Maybe that should be my new life motto. A lot of things have happened that I should just let go. Barton was right. For once. "Alright…"

Clint pulled me in for a hug. He patted my back softly and lingered. "You'll be okay, Lil. I promise. We can go through this together."

I tightened my grip on the hug and pulled him closer. Barton being nice to me felt good once in a while, but this was the first time he hugged me. A warm feeling enveloped my stomach, and suddenly, I knew everything was going to be okay. I wouldn't get over the guilt today or tomorrow. I probably wouldn't forgive myself for a while, like Barton. But knowing someone else went through the same thing I did in a way and is still struggling with it made me feel less alone. We could do this. Together. I let go of him and grabbed my snack and drink. Barton went back to perching on the counter and left his eyes open. "I don't know how you can put that much commitment into scaring Tony."

"I'm not just scaring Tony anymore. I got Peter the other day," Clint chuckled and the corners of his mouth lifted into a sly smile. This was something he enjoyed.

Maybe it was a coping mechanism. Barton's sense of humor probably got him through the pain. Someone on the team needed to be the jester of the group, and I'm glad it was him. "Thanks, Barton."

"For?"

I turned to him and set my free hand on the light switch. "Being my friend."

"Anytime, Lil. Anytime," he nodded.

I turned the light off and headed back to my bedroom.


	30. Chapter 30

Laughs echoed against the walls of the living room. Drinks clinked against each other in a joyous way. The dim lights lit up the room and reflected back against the new windows Tony's contractors had put in. Rock music played in the background as white noise. Peter's fingers clicked against the keyboard on his laptop as he played a game. Bruce started up a conversation and got the group interested. Steve and Clint played a game of cards while sitting on the floor. Nat curled up in a chair and watched Tony and Bruce go back and forth, bickering like children. Thor added a few comments here and there, but he mostly laid back in a relaxed state.

My mind wandered off for a bit. It had only been a day since the incident. I finally mustered up the courage and pushed down the guilt to come join the group. When they noticed, they didn't try to engage me in conversation. They acknowledged my presence, but waited for me to join in when I was ready. I respected them for that. They didn't push me to do anything. I could tell they were just happy I was out there with them.

"So, if you shoot a bullet into the vacuum of space, would it leave the gun?" Clint questioned. This was a new topic he wanted to know the answer to. He was tired of Bruce and Tony fighting about some scientific thing, so might as well hear about something the group could actually be interested in.

Tony spoke up first, "If the gun had it's own oxidizer, then yes. It needs oxygen to fire."

"Would it ever stop?" Steve asked curiously. He glanced up from his deck of cards and looked around at everyone.

"No. If it were released into the vacuum of space, it would go on forever until a force acted upon it, like the orbit of a planet or something," Peter chimed in. He pushed his glasses up and cracked his knuckles.

Bruce added onto that, "And the speed of the bullet would be much faster. Without air or any forces acting against it, whatever got hit by that bullet would be pulverized."

"Why did you ask, Nest-Maker?" Tony turned to Barton and stretched out in his seat. He loosened his tie and drank some more of the alcohol in his hand.

"Lame!" Peter called out, referring to the nickname. Tony shot a glare at him, but in return, Peter stuck his tongue out at him.

Barton shrugged. "For…research."

Romanoff licked her lips after finishing her drink. Her green eyes landed on me and left me a small smile. Her fingers pushed some of her shiny red hair behind her ear. "So, if I shoot a bullet into the sky, could I still kill someone?"

"Not really. Maybe kill a bird," Bruce replied and popped some chips into his mouth. Clint gasped loudly at the sound of it.

Tony chuckled and tapped his fingers against the black leather seat. He thought about it for a moment. "It could kill someone. Eventually, the bullet would stop because of the force of the atmosphere. It would fall back down and eventually get up to a high speed. If anyone was nearby, they could get killed."

"Unless it lodged itself into an airplane or something else on the way down," Peter contributed. He smacked the laptop and cried out in frustration. "Damn it!"

"What, die again on your little game? Man, your skills are really lacking," Clint remarked jokingly.

Peter growled lowly and eyed him. "I'd love to see you try, Barton."

"Alright, let me show you who's boss." He cracked his knuckles and got up from his card game.

I stopped listening and walked out onto the balcony. The skyline was so beautiful at night. Lights everywhere, people bustling on the street down below, airplanes taking off or landing. The stars shined brighter the higher in the tower I got, which left a lovely view from our rooms. The moonlight lit up the dark sky and the tops of buildings. I leaned over on the railing and took in the breeze of fresh air. Something clicked behind me. "I could have killed you."

Steve joined me and leaned his back against the railing. He crossed his arm over his chest and watched the group inside through the glass. "But you didn't."

"I don't know what I would have done with myself. Killing someone I…" My voice trailed off. I couldn't finish that sentence out loud. _Like. Have feelings for. Can't stand to not be around. Someone I didn't think who would like me back._ My hazel eyes glanced down at my hands as I rubbed them together. "I'd be blamed by everyone. Outcast. Maybe even from Peter. I'd lose all the great friends I have now."

"It didn't happen. You can't be stuck in the past and think about what could have happened."

I scoffed, "Speak for yourself. You do that all the time."

He rolled his eyes. "At least I try to stay in the present." I stayed silent, not knowing what to say after that. Steve rubbed the back of his neck tiredly and declared, "You know, I forgive you. All you have to do is forgive yourself."

I closed my eyes and sighed deeply. My voice came out as a soft whisper, "I don't know how I can."

"You can't be stuck in the shadow that could have been. Just be glad it didn't."

I thought back to what Peter had said last night. He was right in so many ways. I opened my eyes and looked at the people below the tower. They looked like ants from up there, rushing to get to their destination. "I've been thinking I'm a monster. But monsters can do good. I was built for destruction, but Peter helped me realize that the destruction could be towards the end of some villains. I'd be making this world a better place. Right? I'd be a monster to my enemies, not everyone."

Steve nodded. "Yeah. That's definitely one way to look at it."

"I feel a lot better about myself now that I've had time to think. I just got to let go of the guilt…" I trailed off for a second and bit my lip. "I really like you too, Steve."

"Good, because I didn't want to hear you say the opposite. That would have been painful." His hand played with the top of mine and traced circles around my knuckles. "We'll take this one step at a time, right?"

"Yeah, of course, Rogers. As long as you're comfortable, I'm comfortable."

Rogers agreed and set his hand on mine gently. "Come on, Lillypad. Come inside."

"Lillypad? That's the best you got?" I laughed and intertwined my fingers in his. His touch was different somehow. A good different, like when I get that one special food I've been craving for a long time. The satisfaction of finally getting what I want. It wasn't only that. I felt…reassured. Reassured everything was going to be okay with him. My eyes flicked up to meet his blue ones.

"What? You don't think it's cute?" He asked and tilted his head to the side. He grinned in an adorable way.

I suppressed another laugh and my lips twitched up. "It's the cutest it's going to get with my name."

Peter noticed us as we walked inside and set his laptop on the coffee table. "You guys _have_ to hear this." He typed for a few seconds and clicked the mouse. "After what happened in New York, people have made soundtracks for us."

"What does that mean?" Steve asked as he plopped down on the couch. He tugged me down next to him and kept his hand clasped to mine.

Tony sat up and answered, "It's like...if you were in a movie, the songs would be the background music. People post them online so others can listen to them quick and simple, unlike whatever dinosaur you guys played it on."

Steve shot Tony a look.

Peter pushed play on the video and turned up the volume. The orchestra started playing in the beginning. Trumpets and what sounded like a xylophone joined in. Soon, it was a beautiful orchestrated masterpiece. Drums even chimed in and added a patriotic theme to it. And just like that two minutes later, it was over. Peter replayed the song. "This actually sounds badass."

All of us nodded in agreement. Steve tapped his fingers against his leg to the song. Natasha bobbed her head. Thor clicked his foot against the floor. Tony shrugged and said, "It could be better."

Peter didn't listen to him and tried to pull Clint off of the floor. Clint became dead weight and wouldn't budge, complaining about it being too much work. When he was off duty, he didn't do anything. It was his relaxing time, which consisted of doing nothing.

Peter waved him off, "Whatever." He sprinted over to Bruce and tugged his arm. Bruce tried to do everything he could to make him let go, but failure was imminent. He gave in and stood up. Peter dragged him to the center of the room. Banner idly stood there with his hands clasped in front of him. A shy smirk settled on his face as he swayed back and forth. Peter pretended to fight him kung fu style along to the music. At first, Bruce wasn't into it. As the time went on, he acted out the scene as the villain and pretended to die towards the end. Peter fist pumped his hands into the air and did a little victory dance.

When the song ended for the second time, Tony stood up and stretched. "Well, that was a great…uh…whatever that was." Peter huffed and sat down. Tony rolled his eyes and finished what he was going to say, "I'm leaving to see Pepper. I'll tell her you freeloaders say hi."

All of us replied simultaneously, creating an inaudible, jumbled sentence together. Tony waved it off and left.

Natasha turned her attention to me. "Lil, I think you've got a real find on your hands. He might be worth top dollar at some museum."

Rogers rolled his eyes. "Very funny, Natasha."

"I know, I'm hilarious." She grinned and rubbed her hand through Clint's short brown hair. "Or maybe he'd be worth nothing at some antique shop. He has quite some sass on him."

Steve squeezed my hand and stated, "She has loads of these jokes piled up. She'll get through them all eventually."

"Yeah, like when you're ninety. Oh, wait, you already are. My bad," her emerald eyes lit up with fire and wonder at the same time.

"One day Natasha…"

Nat cut him off with a laugh, "One day when your turtle self catches up to me? Good luck with that, grandpa."

I giggled at that one. She was pretty sharp when it came to burns and wittiness. I had to hand it to her, it was easy at times. Steve did set himself up for it. I listened to their conversation go back and forth until Steve got tired of it. He got up and went to sleep. Clint was already sleeping up against Nat's legs as she ran her fingers through his hair. Peter logged off his laptop and went into his room to rest. Bruce drank a few bottles of water before setting off for the night. Thor wanted to go look at the night sky from the roof, so he left. That was when I called it quits. Today was a good day. There weren't going to be a lot of those left…


	31. Chapter 31

April 5th. The war grew closer by the second, but we tried not to focus on it. We trained as usual, and Peter even got permission to finally join us. His wound finally healed. Well, not completely by itself. Bruce had his friend Dr. Helen Cho put Peter in a synthetic healing machine. It made skin cells and tissue for his wound and fixed it. He had to make sure not to strain it too much, but he could at least join us in training.

Tony made sure Pepper stayed away from Chicago and the Tower, so he sent her on a vacation with a few friends. Thor worried about Jane, but Coulson reassured him she was very far away. Steve practiced a lot more in the gym, while Natasha and Clint sparred one on one. Bruce stayed holed up in the lab trying to calculate where in Chicago Loki would arrive. Tony upgraded his suit and played chess with Jarvis. He didn't capitalize Jarvis' name anymore or care for the acronym because their connection grew on a deeper level. Jarvis was a part of the team like the rest of us, not some soulless robot.

Peter and I trained earlier. Now, we were on a break.

My cousin smashed the buttons on his controller in a panic. "Lilly, shoot at it!"

"I can't, I'm out of ammo!" I yelled back. This game was _intense_. The level started to fall apart, leaving us only a small arena to work with. The big Boss had four times our health amount and used a shield a lot of the time. He reigned fire upon us with a giant flame thrower and set my character on fire. "Shit…I'm going in for the big hit!" My character ran to the giant and used her power up. It was all going well.

Well, until that part of the ground crumbled underneath her and sent her to the fiery pits of hell.

I shrieked in despair and watched my character burn to a crisp. I threw my controller down in frustration. "That was so stupid!"

Natasha looked up to the screen from her seat. She stretched out on the couch while reading a book. She shook her head and clicked her tongue. "Shoulda gone in and gotten his attention while Peter attacked."

I rolled my eyes and grunted, "How about you try it, Nat?"

She waved it off and put her book down. "I'm good." She headed towards the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. "You guys want anything?"

"Soda," Peter answered.

"Chips," I replied. Both of our eyes stayed glued to the screen. Peter revived me and brought me back into the game. Natasha came back with the wanted items and laid them out on the table. I thanked her and added, "You know, Nat, I look up to you like a mother."

Peter raised his eyebrows in shock when he almost died. He chuckled, "Join the club. Everyone makes fun of us and calls us Mama and Baby Spider." He opened his drink quickly and took a sip before scrambling to get his controller.

Romanoff ruffled Peter's hair and smirked, "It's a lot safer than having children. Taking care of him has become a habit. Well…Peter is just the biggest child ever, so…"

"Hey!" Peter interrupted her and tilted his head to get away from her hand. "You know Tony is in the same boat with me."

"You've got that right," I agreed with a scoff. If those two had a fight for the biggest child title, it would definitely be Tony. He always told us not to touch or take his stuff. When he did, he would always throw a fit.

Tasha grabbed her book and walked passed us. "I'm going to my room."

"Okay," Peter and I simultaneously answered. We were too focused on the game to say something else. Ten minutes later, we finally defeated the boss. Both of us cheered and threw the controllers into the air in celebration.

Peter got up to get another drink. My phone buzzed and I noticed Tony was calling me. "What's up, Stark?"

"Hey, where's Romanoff?" He asked. A clicking sound came from the background and Jarvis started talking.

I thought for a moment. _Where did she say she was going?_ I was too involved in the game to actually remember. I put my hand to my forehead, straining to figure it out. "I think she said she went to her room."

"Well, her phone is off. Can you tell her I need her down in the lab?"

I tilted my head back and groaned, "Fine." I hung up. My legs ached from the training, so I nearly dragged myself to her room. _Clint was sleeping last time I saw him, so she must be in here. Nat usually doesn't go out alone._ I contemplated. My knuckles hit the bedroom door a few times.

"Yes?" She called out.

I opened the door. "Nat…" I instantly shut the door and covered my mouth with my hand. My eyes burned from the new mental image forever cemented in my mind.

That wasn't an acknowledgement of 'Yes, come in'. That was a 'Yes!" as she was busy in bed with Barton.

I screamed internally. I wish Tony hadn't called. I really wish I hadn't gone in.

Natasha came out of her room and shut the door. She covered herself with a purple bathrobe and tied it. She adjusted her hair and ran her fingers through it a few times. "Don't you know how to knock?"

"I did!" I screeched softly. I blinked a few times, trying to get the picture out of my head. "You said yes, so I assumed that was for me. I thought you left the living room because we were too loud. I was wrong to assume you were reading a book, because instead, you were putting your hands all over Clint's body like you're reading Braille!"

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "I'm sorry. What do you need?"

"Tony wants you to come to the lab. He needs you for some reason." I was about to walk away when I stopped myself. My hazel eyes locked onto her green ones and pointed my finger at her. "You need a code word for that! I _do not_ want to walk in on that ever again!"

Natasha laughed and softly said, "If the door's shut, don't come in. I never have my door shut on a regular basis. Remember that."

I turned around and walked down the hall. My brain burned as the image instilled itself in my mind. I closed my eyes, rubbed my temples, and huffed. Out of all the things I've seen in this tower, that one was the worst. And that was saying something.

I accidentally bumped into something and immediately opened my eyes. I bounced backwards and Steve caught me. "Whoa, careful," he warned me. He observed my appearance and noticed I was as pale as a ghost. He raised an eyebrow and questioned, "Are you alright?"

I shook my head. "You don't wanna know."

Steve glanced over at the doors down the hall and noticed Natasha's was shut. His blue eyes widened and a terrified expression swept over him. "You didn't…" I nodded and felt a little piece of me die on the inside. "I'm sorry you found them…fonduing."

I looked at him curiously and giggled. Of all the things he could have said, he said that. I wondered what the story was behind that, but I didn't care to ask at that moment.

"Hey, do you want to go running with me tomorrow morning?" Rogers asked. He put his arm around me and led me down the hall towards the living room.

"Uh…yeah. That sounds great."

We passed by Bruce's room.

His door was open and I took a glimpse into the room. Bruce curled up into the fetal position on top the red bed sheets. His knees tucked up almost to his chest and he formed the tightest ball I'd ever seen. It almost looked painful on how tight he had his limbs locked together. A frown glued to his lips as he muttered to himself. His dark eyes were closed and twitching every few moments.

I wondered why he always slept all the time. He ate. Studied. Slept. In that order. Bruce seemed like a fun, shy guy. _Why doesn’t he do anything else?_ Questions for another day, I suppose.

Peter had to take a double take when he saw me and tilted his head in curiosity. His sparkling eyes narrowed and tried to figure out why I was so pale. "What's up with you? I know Steve's old, but he's not a ghost."

"Very funny, Peter. Your jokes are getting just as old as I am," Rogers shot back. He stretched his arms before reaching for his cell phone.

"Did you just burn yourself?" I wondered out loud. I threw myself on the couch and rested my legs on Peter's lap. That mental image wasn't going away soon. Steve shrugged and dialed a number. He put it on speaker and waited for someone on the other end to pick up.

"Captain America, always nice to hear from you," Coulson answered sweetly. He was always extra nice to Steve because he was his biggest fan. Coulson even had a vintage collection of signed Captain America cards. He was definitely proud of it.

Steve smirked and replied, "Hey, Phil. I wanted to know if I could get a status update on April 20th."

Coulson sighed. Rustling came from the background, like he was moving to get something. "I have agents ready at your disposal. Some of the best of the best. They'll help with the Hydra agents there."

"Okay. So it's just us in the center of all the action?"

"Yes. Unfortunately. I can call in a few favors and get you air strikes, if you wish." Coulson sounded tired and frustrated. Maybe he was stressing about the war like we were.

Steve rubbed his eyes and set his elbows on his legs to prop himself up. "We wouldn't want to risk more lives than we have to. If we get the area clear of civilians, we'll be sure to call you about that favor."

"Do you think you can really pull this off?" Coulson asked hesitantly. He didn't want to jinx anything, but this was a high risk mission. Anything and everything could go wrong or right.

Steve glanced at Peter and I. I could see the gears in his mind turning as he thought about it. He looked down at the floor and rubbed his hands together. "We can only hope."

 

 


	32. Chapter 32

Steve ran behind me. The wind brushed through my curly dark hair and cooled us off. I thought it would have been cooler than this at six in the morning. We were running for an hour already, following the tracks through parks and the streets. We passed by trees and felt bits of sunlight shining through the leaves. The emerald green grass glimmered in the light from the early morning dew.

"Come on, old man," I called out to Steve. I made sure not to trip on the bumpy dirt path and steadied my breathing. "Pick up the pace."

"Parker, you don't want to do this," he warned. His breathing was ragged as he ran, moving his arms up and down to keep his momentum.

I laughed, "I see those seventy years have caught up to you, Steve."

"Don't get me started…"

I interrupted him and teased, "Awww, does slow poke wanna take a nap to rest so you can finally beat me in a race later?"

"Alright. You asked for it," Steve picked up the pace and shot out straight ahead of me.

 _Oh, no you don't._ I sped up and tried to catch up to him. I had never seen him run so fast in all of the time I've spent with the Avengers. If I would have known he could run that fast, I would have saved my energy and ran alongside him, not in front.

After a few more miles, I gave up. I dropped down onto the grass and flipped onto my back. My legs were on fire and all of my adrenaline vanished. I peered up at the blue sky, squinting from all the sunlight shining in my face.

Steve came around the corner from his last lap. He set one hand on the tree to steady himself and breathed for a moment. His light blue running shirt clung to his skin and sweat sprinkled his face. His black track pants hung loosely around his legs. "Come on, put your back into it! If you have good posture while running, you'll make it farther."

I groaned and scrunched my face up in pain, "We ran fifteen miles already. I'm done."

"Where's your sense of spirit and energy?" He mimicked my jokes from earlier.

I put my arm over my eyes to block the sun. "You absorbed it all because you're still up and going. I'm dead."

Steve glanced at his phone before putting it back in his pant pocket. "We still have a few hours before everyone completely wakes up. How about another round?"

"Hello?" I waved my arms around and looked up at him. "Don't you see me here? On the ground?"

"Get up and let's go," he ordered and started to stretch in place.

"To where?"

He answered as he reached for his toes, "We have to train, so another round around the park. Otherwise, we are not going to be ready for when Loki and Red Skull strike." Steve paused and stood up. He put his hands on his hips and shook his damp hair out. "You're just too old to do this."

"Look who's talking," I shot back. I exhaled loudly before getting up and leaning against the tree. "Give me a head start."

"I'll give you thirty seconds," he decided and squinted his eyes in the sunlight. He smiled slyly as I passed him and waited. I drew a line in the dirt, indicating the starting point. I took in a sharp breath before running as fast as I could down the path, hearing him counting down out loud.

I hit my own foot and stumbled, barely picking myself up in the process.

"One!" He yelled.

_Oh, God._

I heard footsteps behind me forty-five seconds later hitting the dirt like an elephant in a stampede. Steve grunted and grit his teeth as he sprinted ahead me. Minutes flew by and we were close to the finish line. I did the only thing I could do in a situation like this.

I tackled Steve.

"What the…Parker!" He writhed underneath me. He tried to get his hands to bind my arms behind my back, but I quickly pinned him down.

I sat on his stomach to make sure he couldn't move. I grinned and breathlessly stated, "You never said I _couldn't_ tackle you in the race." _He's stronger than I am. Why isn't he trying?_

Steve stopped to breathe for a second and appeared puzzled. "Always finding loopholes…of course." He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and added, "Funny. We both are always searching for ways around the situation."

He threw me over him using his legs and I skidded across the dirt. My arms burned and rocks embedded themselves in my skin, drawing blood. _He tried._ I looked at the trail I left behind when I got my bearings straight. _And failed._ "You made me go through the finish line." I pointed at the line I had drawn earlier and chuckled. _I won._

"Are you kidding me?" He whined and picked himself up. Steve made his way over to me and helped me up as I healed. "Guess I shouldn't complain. No rules equals freedom to do anything."

I joked, "Yeah, and you know _all_ about freedom." I brushed off all the rocks and dirt. I grimaced at what I wiped off of my face and threw it to the ground with a flick of my wrist.

Steve tilted his head to the side and glared at me. He replied in a dead tone, "Yeah, like that joke doesn't get old." He cracked his neck and sighed in relief. "I think you're going to be sorely disappointed."

"What are-" I stopped mid-sentence and saw him break out into a run. "Steve, you sly son of a…" I trailed off and went after him.

We ended up back at the tower twenty minutes later. Steve jumped into the elevator and waved to me as the doors closed in my face. I slammed my fist onto the metal and grunted, "Damn…" I lurched up the stairs in an attempt to beat him, but who was I kidding?

He made it to the eighteenth floor before I even had the chance to. When I got onto the floor, I dropped to the ground. Steve caught me and held me up. "Whoa, are you okay? Those stairs are killer, you know."

"I would have made it," I exhaled loudly as my chest heaved to put oxygen into my lungs, "if _someone_ , not naming who, waited for me."

"What's the fun in that? I told you that you were going to be sorely disappointed. I won the race to the tower," Steve grinned from ear-to-ear and helped me stay on my feet. His hands rested on my waist to make sure I wouldn't collapse again.

I put my hands on his shoulders and stood there for a second to maintain my balance. The cold room put goose bumps on my skin and the whole eighteenth floor seemed to stand still. Silence hung in the air and made my ears ring. "Should we wake everyone up?"

"Let's make breakfast first. I don't want them complaining like little children about being hungry. They're very indecisive on what they want to eat," Steve explained and headed towards the kitchen.

After setting out plates and silverware on the counter, I helped Steve cook. Eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, waffles, and coffee was freshly made and put onto platters. Steve and I cracked jokes and almost got ourselves into a food fight while we were at it. When we were done and changed out of our dirty running wear, we headed to Natasha's room.

She stretched like a cat in her bed when we disturbed her in her sleep. Her red hair tangled together in a curled mess and her green eyes didn't have a shine to them yet.  Natasha yawned and strolled out of her room and into Clint's. She jumped onto his bed and barked, "Wake up, Clint!"

Barton moved around and his face scrunched up in irritation. He squinted his eyes as he adjusted to the bright sunlight pouring into the room and looked at all of us. "I hate you all…Get out of my room," he groaned tiredly. "Let me sleep. My bed and I are in a relationship that I can't break…"

"Is it stronger than ours? Hate to break it to you, Clint, but this bed can't do the things I can to you," Natasha purred and traced her fingers along his face.

Barton lit up and pulled her to him, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Never." Natasha giggled and kissed him, moving her hands to his hair.

I cringed and shoved passed Rogers. "Alright, I'm out." Steve and I woke up Peter, who almost threw a book at us. He got into a different position and relaxed until we told him that we made food. He shot out of his bed and headed to the kitchen. Thor sat down at the dining room table, already feasting on breakfast. He smiled at us with a full mouth food and watched as we entered the elevator.

Tony slept in his lab. He was on the ground, stained in oil with a wrench in his hand and a blueprint by his side. I glanced over to see his suit on the table in need of repair. Steve woke him up to a loud thud as he dropped a tool onto the ground.

Stark flinched and sat up, his eyes wide in fear. When he saw it was only us, he rolled his eyes and wiped his face with his grimy hands. "Ahhh, everything hurts…" He stretched his stiff muscles and used the table beside him to get onto his feet.

"You should sleep in your bed more often. This is probably why Pepper worries about you," I pointed out. He rarely slept in his room. That was the last place we'd ever look for him.

He sighed and went over to the sink to wash his hands and face. "Whatever. Get me some coffee and I'll be good."

The kitchen was overcrowded with people. We all swiftly moved around each other and underneath plates being held up. All of us chattered while in conversation about something random Bruce had thought up.

All was going well until Peter accidentally bumped into Clint, causing him to drop the coffee pot onto the floor. The glass shattered everywhere and the hot substance sank into the crevices of the tile. The kitchen fell silent as we watched the scene in horror.

Clint stared down at the mess sadly, a pained expression swept over his features. "Aw, coffee…no…"

"Clint, I'm so-"

Barton cut Peter off by putting his index finger in the air, motioning him to shut up. He exhaled, nearly angrily, and kept his voice in a low tone, "Now I have to go on without my coffee."

Peter appeared petrified as he walked passed him and into the dining room. His brown eyes glued to the wall and his lips arched into the low corner of his chin, making a 'my bad' kind of look.

Tony leaned over next to me while getting some eggs and informed me, "This is his first morning without coffee."

"We're in uncharted territory, guys. Be careful," Nat warned as she walked out of the kitchen with two breakfast plates in her hands.

Bruce almost broke out into a light chuckle until he repressed it. He raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "At least you didn't break anything of Natasha's. She gets really creative with revenge."

Tony, Steve, and I looked at each other in horror before snapping Peter out of his trance. We didn't know if Clint could be worse than Natasha…but who were we kidding? Natasha did worse things than all of us combined because she had the guts and confidence to.

Barton was fine for the rest of the day until he "accidentally" broke Peter's disc collection of _Lord of the Rings_. Then he was feeling better.


	33. Chapter 33

Peter rubbed his temples in frustration. He closed his dark eyes tightly in irritation, trying to understand what exactly I was saying. "You're crazy."

I stood my ground. This was something that needed to be done. We had to win this war, no matter what. "I'm going to get close to Loki and kill him. It's final."

"Do you hear what you're saying right now?" He questioned and furrowed his brow. "You aren't going to do that. He'll kill you. You're going up against the _Trickster God_. If anyone were to kill him, it best be by his brother's hands."

"Peter, I understand you're trying to protect me, but I need to do this." If I could do this one job right, this war wouldn't even happen. It'd be over. The Asgardian soldiers wouldn't listen to Red Skull, leaving him powerless over half of the enemy resistance. I ran my hands through my hair stressfully and paced around my room.

Peter opened his eyes and looked at me in pain. A frown settled on his lips as his voice broke, "You're never going to live up to your dreams? You're going to leave me? Leave Steve? You're going to leave _everything_ behind?"

"Don't do this to me. Don't guilt trip me. Not you, of all people…" I trailed off and bit the inside of my cheek. He was right. I was giving everything up to attack someone I had minimal chances of killing. What more could be done? We talked to the U.S. government. They said this was all our fault and wouldn't risk hundreds of soldiers' lives to protect the city. Whatever they had planned, it didn't sound like it would benefit us at all. "If I'm lucky, I'll come back. I don't know what kind of weapon Loki is going to have and what power it contains."

Peter stood up and walked over to me. He raised his voice a bit and used hand gestures to express his concern while talking, "Lilly…there's a difference between all of us going out in a blaze of glory and a suicide mission."

"This whole thing is a suicide mission! It's us against Loki, Red Skull, Hydra agents, _and_ Asgardian soldiers. What about this isn't a suicide mission?" I yelled in his face. He wasn't grasping the idea of dying for the cause. Thousands of lives were on the line, or even the whole planet's population. Saving them was more important than saving ourselves. That was a hero's job.

"Come on! You can't be serious. There are better ways to go about this."

I dragged my hands down my face in frustration. My chest began to ache with the secret I've been holding in for a long time. He didn't understand. Well, of course he didn't. He didn't _know_. "Peter, what if I can't have everything I dreamt of when I was little? What if fate just doesn't want that for me?"

His shoulders raised and his muscles flexed. He stretched his arms out and nearly shrugged. "You can have _anything_ you want, Lilly. You just got to go out there and grab it. If you want a family, do it. If you want to retire, do it. But for the _love of God_ , don't purposely try to get killed," he stressed. The pain in his eyes traveled down into his body. He started to shake from mixtures of sadness and anger.

"I'm never going to retire. I can't. My powers will just be wasted. I could help people." If I was going to live for a long time, I was going to do things right. Retiring would drive me insane. It almost drove Logan crazy one time. I didn't want to go through that.

He spit back, "What will your future kids say to that? To you never retiring and always having the constant fear their mother will never walk through the front door again? The fear that the last words they say to you is 'Be safe' instead of 'I love you'. I know how much you wanted to be a mother when you were little…"

I stopped him and put a hand to my heart, "Peter…"

Peter cut me off instantly and put his hand out to stop me. "I'm not finished. If you do this, you're never going to have kids. You're never going to have your first kiss with Steve. You two will never be officially boyfriend and girlfriend. You won't be at my future wedding. You won't see my first child being born. You won't be there for them and spoil them…"

As he kept listing things, tears formed in my eyes. He was right in so many ways that it hurt me. It hurt me those things would never come true. One of them is already a reality. "Peter, I can't have kids!" I blurted out.

"…What?" His expression went from angry to downright shocked in a matter of two seconds. His mouth hung open a bit and his eyes lost the fire it held. He had to grab onto the desk next to him to keep from falling over.

I wiped the tears away from my cheeks and sniffled, "Stryker's tests…the immense heat and cold killed all of my eggs. I can't…I can't have children." I looked up to the ceiling to keep more tears from falling, but there was no use. First I lost my parents, then my possible future children all in one day.

"Have you told Steve?"

I shook my head. What, was he insane? "We're not that far into the relationship. I don't wanna ruin anything now."

He put his hand to his mouth for a second, realizing all of the things he said to me hurt me. "Lilly, I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

I kept my eyes searching around the room, finding any place to look at other than him. "It's fine, Peter."

"No, no it isn't. I just…I just said something extremely personal. I shouldn't have. If I would have known…"

I threw my hands into the air and interrupted him, "Exactly! I didn't want anyone to know! The very thing I wanted when I was little is gone. That dream is _dead_. I wanted to keep it to myself. I wanted to hold it inside until it didn't hurt anymore and I could come to terms with it." Peter's eyes flickered to something behind me. A piece of my stomach lurched and I spun around. Steve was standing in the doorway. He had heard everything. I could see the broken expression on his face. His blue eyes weren't sparkling, but were dark. "Steve…" I didn't want him to find out this way. I wanted to tell him when the time was right. Now was _not_ the time.

Rogers didn't say anything and hugged me. His hands rubbed up and down on my back in comfort and he pulled me in for a tighter hug. I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head against his chest. His soft maroon shirt rubbed against my face while my tears stained it. We stood there for a while, holding each other until my tears stopped flowing.

Steve took in a deep breath. His hand gently pushed my hair behind my ear and ran his fingers down my back. He nervously shifted from side-to-side for a second. "I had a dream, dear. You had one, too," he began singing softly.

I sniffled. _Is Steve actually singing to me? Since when did he know how to sing?_

His voice wavered, "Mine was the best dream, because it was of you." He grabbed my right hand and intertwined our fingers. He backed up and spun me around slowly. "Come, sweetheart, tell me. Now is the time." Steve brought me back to him and put his free hand on my lower back. His ocean eyes stared into mine as he swayed back and forth. "You tell me your dream, and I'll tell you mine."

"Steve Rogers, when did you learn how to sing?" I inquired. "And you can dance?" My hands tingled from the warmth his body was giving off. Steve's touch seemed so soft…so gentle, even with his rough hands.

"I can't dance. Why do you think we aren't moving?" He glanced down at the floor at his feet for a second when he moved slightly. "I used to be in a barber shop quartet. That was a verse of one of the songs we used to sing."

I smiled softly and felt my butterflies in my stomach. Learning something new about Steve was exhilarating and intriguing. It was like going deeper into a cave that got adrenaline pumping into your veins from excitement. "You and Nat must be very competitive on karaoke night."

He chuckled lightly and he lifted one corner of his lips. "I don't usually take part in that."

"Well," I huffed and continued, "you would blow all of them away with the talent you have."

"Nahh," he brushed the comment off and shyly looked away. "That's not my thing. I haven't sang to someone since my last barber shop quartet practice. That was…what, over seventy years ago? Maybe more?"

I was taken aback. In all of the time he's been awake, he hasn't sang to anyone? How could he live with _not_ singing? Everyone in the tower sang almost everyday, whether it be to the whole group or just one person. Not all of them were the best, but at least they had fun with it. "Well, damn. I hope in seventy years I still got talent."

"We'll see. If you do, I'll be surprised because that means you actually acquired some talent along the way," he retorted with a snort. I swatted his arm and almost backed completely away until he tugged me back to him. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding."

We grew quiet and stopped swaying back and forth. I peered down at the floor and closed my eyes. My heart ached as I remembered the conversation with Peter. "So, _this_ doesn't matter to you?"

"What?" Rogers set his hand gently underneath my chin and made me look at him. He lifted both of his eyebrows. "You think I'm going to lose all of my feelings for you because of something like that?" I reluctantly nodded and searched his eyes for an answer. "A family…stability…With what we do, Lilly, it'll be hard to keep that safe. Everyone knows who I am. Hydra's files are out there. They know who you are. It doesn't matter to me if you can't have children. I like you because of who you are. Not what you can or can't reproduce."

"I've just…" I tilted my head and thought about it for a second before finishing the sentence, "I've just wanted a family all my life. And this…" I glanced at my hands, which were cold from my powers. Cold on the outside, cold and barren on the inside. Literally. "It's impossible."

"You can always adopt, Lilly. There are other ways to go about this. When the day comes, you'll know. Just right now, we have to focus on the fight. Loki and Red Skull are planning on destroying everything. We need to stop them."

I nodded in agreement and thanked him for being there for me. I didn't expect him to react that way to my confession, but it felt great to see that he was so understanding. So caring. So comforting. I needed to go clear things up with Peter, though. Then all will be okay.


	34. Chapter 34

April 13th. We were only a week away from the destruction of Chicago. A week away from the loss of hundreds of lives. A week away from going down in a blaze of glory. We warned the government and they placed an evacuation day for the 19th. It gave enough time to the people to pack and get stuff ready, but mostly put them into a panic. I rethought about killing Loki. Peter was right. If anyone were to do it, it would have to be Thor. There was no other way around it. I sighed in frustration. So much pressure was on our shoulders. If we failed, we wouldn't have just failed ourselves. We failed to save the entire world.

Someone knocked on my door.

"Come in." I pushed my black framed glasses up my nose and kept my eyes focused on my laptop screen. I tried to bypass the security firewalls of Hydra's computer systems, but it wouldn't work. I needed more powerful software and techniques to get through. _Maybe Natasha can hack it. She can go through any system in under a minute._

"Hey," Steve greeted me and peeked through the door. He leaned against the frame and nervously added, "Tony and I are going to visit Peggy. Do you want to join?"

My head snapped up at her name. I don't think any other team member had visited her before, except for Tony. This was the opportunity of a lifetime. I turned my laptop off and quickly responded, "Yeah. I would love to." I rushed to put some shoes on and walked down to the garage, where both men were waiting.

"So, you decided to tag along?" After I nodded, Tony smiled. His black sunglasses covered his dark, whiskey shaded eyes. "Good. Steve and I were running out of conversations to have on the car drive there." He put his hand on one side of his mouth so Steve wouldn't be able to read his lips and whispered, "The old man usually falls asleep."

I giggled as Steve rolled his eyes. "I can hear you, you know."

"Oh, I didn't know your hearing was that good, especially at your age," Tony joked and got into his convertible.

I hopped into the back, which was by far uncomfortable. It was cramped, but I didn't see a reason to complain. I was getting to see Peggy. That was incentive enough to keep my mouth shut. Steve sat in the passenger seat and listened to the car roar to life. He didn't seem bothered by the jokes anymore and sometimes even laughed at them. He was too easy to pick on, but he always found a way to get us back. The amount of burns that guy has put out into the world almost amounted up to Natasha's. It was all fun and games until somebody went a little too far.

We were quiet for most of the drive. Steve peered out the window and watched the objects go by. Tony remained focused on the road and blasted music through the speakers. I twiddled my thumbs out of impatience. I was meeting the woman who meant everything to Steve.

Only come to find out that she meant everything to Tony at one point.

Tony turned down the music and looked back at me through the rear view mirror. "Steve's told you a bit about Peggy. I don't remember much about her. I don't really remember a lot of my past, but Jarvis told me things throughout the years to remind me. He said I thought the world of her. My father was always working. When my mother needed help, Peggy would come down in her free time to assist her. She tells the best stories about her past. I just wish…" he paused and cleared his throat. "She doesn't remember a lot sometimes. Whenever she sees me, she calls me Howard. The biggest smile rises on her face and she says she missed me. I never have the heart to tell her I'm his son. She just forgets when she goes into a coughing fit anyway."

He glanced down at the time and back at the road. Tony's voice almost cracked, but he kept it at bay. "My father died in a car accident with my mother a long time ago. Jarvis told me Peggy almost went into hysteria when that happened. She was so torn. She lost both Steve and my father. Peggy would come over to my house and play with me when I was growing up. Apparently, I called her Aunt Peggy. Then one day, she stopped coming. Never did know what happened." He shrugged slightly, trying to brush off the emotions. Peggy and his butler Jarvis must have been the closest thing he had to family after his parents passed. "After I found out she founded S.H.I.E.L.D., I put two and two together. She probably buried herself in her work and raised her kids on the side. Didn't have enough time for me, I guess. Not like anyone really did…"

Steve put his attention on Tony. Only so few people knew that about Tony's life, and telling me must have been a big thing for him. I didn't know what to say. Sorry wasn't enough and not saying anything at all was worse. "Tony, I…I'm so sorry."

He waved it off with a movement of his hand. He slowed down as he came up to a driveway and parked the car. "It's uh…it's fine. Not like it matters anymore anyway. It's in the past." We all got out and walked to the door. Steve got out his key to the house and hesitated.

The door was ajar.

He pushed the door open and rushed inside. "Peggy?" Steve called out.

Stark and I glanced at each other nervously before he shoved passed me into the house. Steve sprinted through the house and checked every room. He didn't find anything. Nothing was touched. Nothing was out of place. The last place he checked was her bedroom.

Steve screamed, "Peggy!"

Tony stood in the doorway, shocked at the sight. His mouth hung open until he noticed, and shut it. He didn't take off his sunglasses, probably to mask the pain shown in his eyes. He backed up into the kitchen and took out his phone. He called several people to inform them of the situation. I walked into the room.

God, I wish I hadn't.

Blood covered the walls. Photo frames that once hung on the walls were on the floor, the glass broken in each one. Her bed sheets were a tangled mess on the floor. She must have rushed to get out of bed when she noticed who her attacker was. Steve held Peggy in his arms. Her frail body looked like a ragdoll compared to his. The wrinkles on her face made her expression unreadable. Her eyes and mouth were shut and her gray, curly hair was a mess. Three stab wounds punctured her chest and blood stained her white night gown. A gun laid on the floor, unused after I checked it. The bullets were all accounted for. The attacker must have hit it out of her hands before she could shoot.

Steve was yelling to the high heavens and cursed. My stomach did back flips as I listened to him. His heart was broken.

My eyes fell on a white card on the dresser. A bloody knife pinned it down into the wood to hold it in place. The Hydra symbol covered the front of the card. I took the knife out and turned the card over to see if anything was on the back.

_Captain America, I see why you admired her so much. She was a fighter until the end. If it makes you feel any better, her last words were 'Goodbye, my darlings' as she looked at the photos on her side table. See you soon. -JS_

"Steve…" I whispered and handed him the card. He needed to see it.

He read the card out loud and turned to the side table. A picture of Peggy and her children sat there next to a picture of Steve before he was turned into a super soldier. He crumpled the card up and dropped it. His ocean blue eyes held a fire inside of them and anger coursed through his body. Steve stormed out of the room. "We need to find Johann Schmidt and now!" He barked at us.

I followed him and put my arm on his to stop him. "Steve, breathe!"

"We need to…"

I cut him off, "We don't need to do anything. You need to take in what just happened. You can't go to war with a clouded mind. That can get you killed."

Steve cried out in pain, "He killed Peggy! He killed her! My best girl…" He trailed off and looked at his hands. Her blood covered them and he cringed. "I understand that you care about me, but this needs to happen. _Now_. They're the ones who shot first. This war needs to end."

My heart hurt for him. He loved Peggy. I understood what he was going through. "Steve…don't you get it? The war will never be over. There will always be bad guys trying to ruin the planet. There will always be someone threatening your family. There will _always_ be casualties, whether we like it or not. Please just…" I paused. He glanced back up at me. His eyes were red and swelling with more tears. This time, they were tears of anger. "Please don't be so angry that you get yourself killed. You're not invincible. I…I need you, Steve. The group needs you. _We_ need you." I hugged him tightly.

He did that for me when he found out I couldn't have children of my own. It was time to be there for him. He was taken aback for a minute, but slowly melted into the hug. His tears dripped down his face and into my shirt. He wanted to collapse onto the floor, but I held him up. I ran one hand through his short blonde hair and rubbed his back with the other. I let him cry into my shoulder.

Tony stepped into the living room where we were at. He stopped when he saw Steve and his broken state. He mouthed to me, "Is he crying?" I put my thumb up, indicating he was. Tony appeared torn. He took his sunglasses off and his hard eyes looked around. His lips fell to a frown and twitched for a second. Tony nodded and walked back into the kitchen to give us a moment.

"She gave me hope," Steve whimpered. His voice was almost inaudible against my clothing. He raised his head and set his chin on my shoulder. "And now, she's gone."

"That hope should live on. Peggy would want that. She led a great life, Steve. Her legacy is out there. She will _always_ be with you," I replied softly.

His arms wrapped tighter around my waist. He sniffled, "I'm sorry for crying. I've only cried two other times in my life…When I got beat up in an alley, and when I lost Bucky. I guess this is another terrible moment to add to that list."

I backed away a bit and looked into his eyes. Tears stopped falling from them and now his face was red. "Don't be sorry." I put one hand on his cheek gently. "Let it out. If you let it out now, it won't be as bad on the battlefield. We need you out there focused on the end goal."

"Thank you," he whispered. His eyes looked into mine deeply. Steve kissed my cheek before backing away. Soft and meaningful, just another step forward in our relationship.

Tony strolled into the room and hugged Steve. "I'm sorry about your loss," he began to console him. He took the next few minutes expressing his sorrows and Steve's in return.

They both lost someone today. Someone great. Someone they truly admired and looked up to. Now, she's gone.

Forever.

And nothing can change that. That's what made me feel terrible. I couldn't change it. I couldn't go into the past and fix everything. I'd do anything to undo the incident and put an end to Red Skull with my bare hands. I just wished I could fix things. I wished…

 

We arrived back at the tower in utter silence. Steve had to break the news to everyone, even if they hadn't even met Peggy. A piece of his past was now missing and his heart ached.

After condolences passed around, Bruce burst into the room. "Guys, there are some crazy readings coming from downtown Chicago right now." He held up a tablet and let Tony take it away.

Tony's fingers pecked at the screen and knit his eyebrows together in confusion. "You can't be serious."

"What?" The rest of us inquired, confused and intrigued.

"That damn son of a bitch started the party early. And guess who wasn't invited?" He handed the device back to Banner angrily. He stomped out of the room and headed to the elevator.

Peter investigated the finding and put his hands on his head. He tugged at his hair and panicked, "Loki opened the portal. He's started the fight early and is letting the Asgardian soldiers through."

"They haven't evacuated the people yet," Steve uttered and dragged his hand down his mouth. He had already gone through enough today, and to add this onto it? Smart move, but yet an extremely dumb one. We'd all be following a call to action and avenging a loved one simultaneously. Someone who brought us all together by co-creating S.H.I.E.L.D. in the first place. Someone who saw potential in Steve and helped make him who he is today. Our motivation is her.

Natasha told Clint to fire up the quinjet and looked around at us. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go save Chicago."

"Yes ma'am," all of us chorused and went to work in getting ready. This was only the beginning.


	35. Chapter 35

"What's the plan, Captain?" Peter asked from the corner of the quinjet. He adjusted his red mask and jumped a few times to get his blood pumping. This was his first time back out in the field, so he was more than ready to get back in the fighting zone.

Steve watched us all get ready for the battle, letting Peter's question sink into his mind. Tony put on his red and gold suit after letting Jarvis fly the jet. Tasha and Clint whispered to one another as they gathered their weapons. Natasha filled her belt with numerous items, while Clint filled two quivers with arrows and put them on his back. Thor played with Mjolnir, throwing it up into the air and catching it a few seconds later. His blank face gave none of his emotions away as he stared off into nothingness. Bruce rubbed his temples and tapped his foot against the floor.

Steve stepped forward to the center of the jet and faced all of us. His red, white, and blue shield hung on to his back. His outfit matched the colors of his shield and a small 'A' adorned each bicep. Rogers began to report, "Clint, Lilly, and Peter will be on the ground down the street from the portal. A lot of the soldiers haven't gotten far, so we need to block them off from the rest of the city. Bruce will go around the city hunting soldiers down and taking care of them. Any civilians are supposed to be protected." All four of us nodded accordingly and waited to hear the rest of the plan. Steve looked at Nat. "Natasha, you're going to stay in the jet and shoot at them. Once Clint runs out of ammo, you two will switch positions. Tony, you're with me. We're going to be positioned close to the portal."

Thor chimed in, but his eyes didn't focus on anything at all, "I'm going to take care of Loki."

We all silently agreed. No one was going to object to that. Even if we did, we'd have one hell of a fight with Thor. I blinked a few times to make sure my contacts were clear and put my hair up into a ponytail. I never understood how Nat could fight with her hair flying everywhere. "Wait, what about Red Skull?" I inquired. He was a big key to all of this too.

Steve eyed me as his hands clenched into fists. He scoffed, "That coward might not even be there. If he is, I'll take care of him myself."

Natasha dropped us off towards the end of the street. This…This sight was madness. Loki used his scepter to kill people, blow up cars, and crash any jets or airplanes in the sky. People screamed and ran to cover, even if they had no chance of survival. Soldiers marched out of the portal in masses and went out to do their job. Blood stained the streets and a strong smell of sulfur hung in the air. Sparks flew off of broken lights and buildings were falling apart.

"Ah, you've finally arrived," Loki created a copy of himself that stood in front of us. He mocked the original Loki's actions and grinned like a madman. "Are you enjoying the show so far?"

"Where's Red Skull?" Steve asked quickly, scouting the area for the villain, but coming up with nothing.

"Somewhere safe to direct his agents. He's still here, just not having as much fun as he could have," Loki asserted and walked to the side. He wore the same armor as last time I saw him, but now, he had a ram-like helmet adorning his head.

Thor sounded tired and full of hurt, "Brother, you need to stop this. There are innocents dying. Haven't you learned before that you can't take over the world?"

Loki scoffed, his words like venom, "I don’t give a damn about innocent people dying. I'm here to restore order. And if that starts with the Avengers' deaths, then so be it." The image disappeared, and Steve, Tony, and Thor headed towards the target. Soldiers flanked us on the street.

Hawkeye shot off arrow after arrow as fast as a gun shot bullets. A stone cold expression took over and his light blue eyes dulled. Staying focused was the key to winning. The arrows hit their intended targets dead on, not missing once. That was the awesome thing about Barton. He grinned slyly when he caught me watching him as I took guys down and said, "I never learned how to miss."

Eight guys charged at me, all from different sides. I paced myself back and forth until one of them got close enough. I decked one in the face, leaving him with a broken nose as he stumbled backwards into another. I grabbed a hold of one's arm, twisted it, and used my leg to wrap around his neck and break it. _Three down…_ A hand latched onto my side, holding me in place. I head-butted him and punched him in the throat, causing him to choke and fall. My hand flicked to the side, making a sword fly out of a soldier's hand and thrust it into his neck. A shield knocked me backwards into another soldier. She put me into a choke hold, trying to get me to pass out. I bit her arm, making her cry out. I threw her over my shoulder and kicked another guy in the face after I spun around. The guy retaliated with punches. One in my shoulder, another on my jaw. I used my powers and took his metal chest plate off, crushed it into a spear, and dug it into his heart. Blood spewed in every direction accompanied by a shriek. I huffed and caught my breath. My chest ached and burned, but there was nothing I could do about it. _One more…_

I glanced around, noticing the soldier wasn't there. A sharp _ting_ sounded off behind me. When I turned to see it, the soldier stood there with an arrow sticking through his eye. Gravity took over and his body collapsed onto the ground.

"Bulls eye," Barton snickered and caught my attention. "Want to see something cool?" Clint snatched a row of arrows from the quiver on his back and aimed them at a bunch of soldiers. The soldiers scattered in an attempt to dodge the arrows. Barton steadied the bow and released the arrows from his grasp. The arrows flew through the air and tore apart from each other, targeting one man each. The men died on impact. "Target locked based arrows. Cool, right?"

"Yeah, made them myself," Peter beamed through comms.

Tony scoffed and chimed in, "Peter's all grown up now, Lilly. He's making stuff himself. We should be proud of him."

"You can never let me have my moment, can you?" Spiderman hissed back.

Steve sounded irritated and broke into the conversation, "You guys should focus. We are in the middle of a battle. Tony, I need you back here."

Black Widow fired from the quinjet above us, aiming at the waves of soldiers coming in through the portal. She moved the ship from side to side, almost like a playful dance as she took them down. Humming echoed through the ear piece. Natasha loved her job. She shot some ships down that came in from Asgard. They were small, dinky things, not fit for war. Nat blew them up with ease.

A loud explosion sounded off and Barton and I flinched. Our attention went up to Natasha, who tried to gain control of the damaged quinjet on fire. "Shit, guys, I'm going down." The jet spun fast and went out of our view a couple streets down. The tall buildings blocked our sight.

Another crash corresponded with the jet colliding with the ground, sending Barton into a panic. "Nat! I'm going to make sure she's okay." He split his bow into two, turning on the stun baton as he ran to Natasha's crash site. He electrocuted soldier after soldier, stunning them before finishing them with a knock out blow to the face. 

Ah, those two. In a fight, they're lethal. Around each other, they melt. Their love made them strong. Their strength was a force to be reckoned with. I don't even think they realize it, but they need each other more than anything. In Clint's eyes, Natasha is his whole world, and vice versa. In all of the damage that happened in their lives, the one, most important thing to them that always came first was each other. That made my heart swell with happiness. Someone on this team other than Tony needed to have something meaningful on the side. I'm just glad it was them. I sent one guy to the floor and stabbed another with his sword.

A shrill shriek came from the middle of the street. A little girl wandered around, hands cupped over her ears as she stumbled over the rubble. Her red dress ripped at the bottom and it was stained in unsettled dust from the ground. A soldier walked up to her and was about to raise his sword when I pushed him away with fire. He backed away and shielded himself with the small metal shield in his hand.

Hell would freeze over before I let an innocent child die when I had the opportunity to save them.

I scooped her up in my arms and ran to the closest cover. I dodged bullets flying through the air and kicked some guys out of the way. We ducked behind a car and dropped to the ground. My hand brushed her dirty, stringy black hair out of her face. Ash smeared over her tan skin and little cuts littered her arms. The little girl's glimmering brown eyes flickered up to mine and widened. Her little plump lips were pink like the blush on her chubby cheeks.

"I'm Lilly. Please tell me your name," I pleaded. I needed to make her feel safe. I needed her to trust me. This little girl was lost in the battlefield of a dangerous fight. If she stayed out there, she'd die.

"A…Amelia," her voice was soft and high pitched. She must have been around four or five.

"Amelia…" I put my hands on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. Her eyes sparkled with innocence and fear, which pained me to see. This must have been traumatic for her. "Amelia, I need you to do something for me." She nodded. "I need you to hide. Alright? Please. I'll come back for you."

Amelia shook her head wildly and screamed, "My daddy said that and he never came back!"

 _He's probably dead…He would have come back for her if he wasn't._ I thought bitterly. I resisted the urge to cringe and pulled her to me in a hug. "I need to go, baby. Okay? I'll come back for you. I promise." I backed away and made sure she was looking at me. "Alright? I will find you. You're going to be safe. I'm _not_ going to leave you. I have to go make it safe for everyone. I need to be a superhero. I promise I'll come back and keep you safe."

Amelia nodded and ran. I sighed and stood up.

Thor flew out of nowhere, throwing Loki around to weaken him. Thor's armor seemed to be in terrible condition and bits of it were falling off. His dirty blonde hair matted against his head and a giant scar ran across his face. Thunder roared in the sky as they passed me.

Hulk leapt onto the street from a building, shaking the earth as he landed next to Spiderman. Peter flung webbing onto some soldiers, sticking them together like a giant burrito. "I guess that's…" he pretended to put on sunglasses and looked in my direction, " _a wrap_."

I shook my head and commented, "You just couldn't resist, huh?"

"What did you expect?" Peter shrugged. "This is me we're talking about."

A soldier ran up to me and held his sword in the air. I grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm. He cried out in pain and dropped the sword. My foot collided with his groin and sent him to the floor. I kicked him in the head to make him stay down. A sharp cry echoed through comms and my head snapped to where my cousin was standing.

A dagger pierced his skin and dug into his leg. Peter elbowed the man in the shoulder and kicked him with his good leg. The man kneeled over, letting Peter flick his wrists and stick the guy to the floor with webbing.

"Peter, are you all right?" I shouted and sprinted to him. A group of soldiers came up behind him, armed and ready. "Duck!"

Spiderman did as I said and I thrust my hands forward, freezing the men in place with my powers. One screamed and took hold of his sword, barely grazing Peter as he froze.

I grabbed a piece of metal lying on the ground and heated it up with fire from my hand. "Did the dagger go all the way through your leg?" I questioned as I bent down next to him.

"No," he winced and held onto the broken car next to him.

"This is going to hurt," I warned and pressed the metal against his wound. He yelled out and clenched his teeth together to stop himself. His skin sizzled and molded back together, stopping the external bleeding for now. I tossed the metal aside and got up.

Peter and I gazed at the soldiers for a moment, finally taking in what they looked like. Bearded men, tough, big with muscles. Some were women with fierce expressions, ready to die for their cause. Golden armor so polished that it reflected sunlight while behind a sheet of ice. What bothered us most was their eyes.

Their luminous, blazing blue eyes watched us. They weren't a normal shade of blue. The power contained within the scepter must have changed them to look that way. To match…almost as if they were being controlled.

"Hulk…" Peter called out through his ear piece.

The Hulk came around the corner, jittery with anger. His eyes focused on us and narrowed.

I finished the statement, "…smash."

Hulk grinned and ran towards us. He slid against the pavement and waved his arms around, shattering all of the soldiers contained in ice. Shards flew everywhere, sprinkling the streets with body parts and ice. The Hulk huffed and screamed out, wanting more satisfaction. He flipped around when he heard more soldiers incoming, and went in for the attack.

Peter looked over at me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Thanks."

"No problem," I nodded and watched him start to climb one of the buildings.

My eyes fell onto Steve and Tony, who were standing in the path of the portal. Soldiers were pouring out like crazy. What was it…wave four? Already? Them against a thousand soldiers seemed highly unlikely. "Please don't…" I whispered to myself. They ran towards the portal and attacked enemies. Iron Man fired his weapon at Cap's shield and deflected it to the enemies as Steve moved it from side to side, taking almost half of them down. More attacked from behind and formed a giant circle around them. "Damn it…"

I used one hand to hold Tony's suit in place and the other to use the army's metal armor to push them back into the portal. Without me there, hundreds of men looked like they were dog piling on top of each other to make a tower. I took control of their metal swords and guns and fired them all at each other. Blood splattered from the mountain like a volcano and shrieks of pain acted like sound effects. I stumbled backwards and hit a light post. _Used…too much power. Have to…cool down._

I swore to myself in whisper and dragged my hand down my face. Sweat seeped into my cuts and bruises splotched my face. My skin burned from some of the blaster shots that hit me earlier. After using all that power, my joints became stiff and sore. I set my hand gently against my rib cage and gasped softly in pain. I kneeled down to the ground. "Tony…Steve…are you okay?"

Steve spotted Red Skull escaping from a building and went after him. Red Skull uncovered the pistol in his hand and shot at Captain America. Cap reacted quickly and blocked the bullets with his shield. Johann aimed his gun underneath the shield and pulled the trigger, forcing a bullet to push through Steve's rib cage. He yelled out and decked him in the jaw with his shield. Steve threw his weapon at some Hydra agents coming up next to him; the shield flew out of his view and didn't come back.

He relied on fist fighting. One blow to Red Skull's face, another to the stomach. One, two, three, four, punches just kept coming. This was all Johann's fault. He's the reason Peggy is dead. Rogers trapped his opponent in a choke hold, waiting for him to fall unconscious. Red Skull dug his foot into Rogers' shin and thrust his head backwards, hitting Steve in the forehead. Captain America stumbled.

"You sound pretty winded, Parker. Are _you_ okay?" Stark questioned.

The scene couldn't get crazier. Loki and Thor fought next to the portal, throwing around emotional words and cries of war. Asgardian soldiers fought us and took on some unsuspecting civilians off in the distance. Tony swept in and shot them down before the innocents could take any damage. Hydra agents surrounded the city, sparring off with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents for control. Civilians ran down streets screaming for their lives and diving for cover. Smoke simmered from burning corpses and gunfire shot through the air. Swords clashed against each other and into bodies. Bombs burst, throwing debris and dirt in every direction. So many sounds…So much going on.

I couldn't focus on it all. "Yeah…I'm fine…" I trailed off and waited to heal.

Something pierced my skin and dug into my back. I screamed out in agony, almost overloading the microphone.

"Oh, she's doing swell," Loki answered from behind me. He triggered the scepter and shot a blast through a chunk of my rib cage. Pieces of flesh and bone flew around, splattering against anything in its path. Blood trickled down my chest, dyeing my clothes a dark shade of red. He pushed the weapon farther through the wound and got close to my ear to speak into the ear piece. "Looks rather flushed at the moment, don't you think?"

A loud shriek broke out of my throat as I gargled blood. The scepter's power raced through my veins, leaving traces of blue behind. My head burned at the sudden power and felt like it was drilling through my brain. My hands trembled as I tried to comprehend what was happening.

"Sorry that you have to die, Lilly Parker." Loki paused and his voice lowered, "You had so much potential."


	36. Chapter 36

"I'm guessing your…lover? Is it? Will be rushing over pretty soon. Too bad you'll already be dead," Loki gravely said into my ear piece, referencing to Steve. His breath scratched at my ear as he started to back away.

Steve fought with Red Skull. Quick punches to the face and ribs. He kept his shield on his back as he deflected moves Johann sent his way. Steve kicked him down and dove for the pistol. A few bullets shot out of the gun and ate their way through Red Skull's chest. He fell backwards. Steve's head turned in my direction and darted off towards me. "Lilly!"

I swirled around the blood in my mouth before spitting it out onto the floor. The metallic taste gave me a few ideas, even if my head was on fire from the power of the scepter. I took control of any strength I had left and faced my hand towards Loki. With a flick of my wrist, I intended to throw him across the field.

But nothing happened.

Loki pulled the scepter out of my chest and pushed me onto the ground. "Pity. Some people just choose not to trust their own rage. The Lilly I saw weeks ago is the one I prefer."

 _My powers…why can't I use them?_ I landed on my back and stared up at the sky. My hands twitched over my wound, trying to cover it, but the flesh ached from sensitivity.

Peter crouched behind the God of Mischief and used his wrist devices to throw webs onto his armor. My cousin worked quickly and started to spin around, throwing a confused Loki into the air. The scepter fell from his grasp. "Now!" He yelled.

Ironman flew out of nowhere and used his ray gun on Loki. The God hit the side of a building and slid down, still getting hit from Tony's gun. Thor joined Tony and tried to take control of the situation.

"Hulk, I need cover!" Spidey shouted at the top of his lungs. He dove next to me and ripped off his burnt mask. His hands hovered over my wound; Peter's face scrunched up in worry. His erratic breathing came to a stop and the panic settled in. "Lilly…Lilly, no… Can you heal?"

I shook my head wearily. The blue power raced through my veins and became stronger by the second. It started to change me. Control me. If it could turn my powers off, something bad was about to happen. "It's the scepter…Where is it?"

Peter glanced around quickly, his eyes searching for the weapon. "Don't worry, Lilly. I'll find it." He sprinted off to find it. Hulk jumped on top of a few enemies, smashing their bodies completely. He screamed out, grabbed a car, and knocked a bunch of soldiers over.

Steve slid across the ground after he tripped and ended up next to me. He groaned and sat up, lifting my head up onto his leg. One hand cupped my cheek and the other touched my wound. I shrieked in agony as he drew his hand back and wiped the blood off. He cringed and raised his eyebrows in anguish. "Lilly…please, stay with me."

I set my bloody hand on his. I felt the blue power run through my eyes and the frontal lobe of my brain. It sizzled and burned, making me wince from the torment. "I can't…heal…" Blood dripped down the side of my mouth, leaving a trail down to my chin. Fear started to settle in. I never feared getting hurt until now. My vision blurred over and the energy I once had started to fade.

"I need you, Lilly. Please, stay," Rogers implored. "I already lost Peggy today. Don't make me lose you too." He looked up and threw his shield at a few agents scrambling around the city. They must have been looking for Red Skull for orders on what to do next.

Peter rushed over with the scepter and handed it to me. "I don't know what else to do," he pulled at his hair and took care of some bad guys that came up.

I ran my fingers along the scepter, looking for a way to control it. When I touched the blue gem, nothing happened. I scraped my finger along the sharp end to open my skin. Blood seeped from my finger, allowing me to push it against the gem. The power flowing through my veins travelled back into the gem, powering it back up to full capacity. My lungs heaved as I raised my hand to touch Steve's face. A smile crept its way onto my lips. "This battle isn't my last."

Steve watched me heal with some wonder in his eyes. "I thought I was going to lose you there for a second," he admitted, the corners of his lips forming a small smile.

"Is Parker okay? I need to know in case I have to kill Loki myself," Tony questioned, flying around the city and blasting soldiers to bits.

"I'm fine, Stark. Thanks for worrying about me," I informed him. Steve helped me up and went back to fighting. Peter wanted to come close to embrace me, but some soldiers stopped him from doing so.

Our communications was going crazy with sound.

"Clint!" Natasha yelled and groaned when something hit her.

Barton ran to her, his feet stomping loud enough to hear through the mic. "Stay with me. Come on, Nat." He huffed and helped her up. "We need to get Nat to a hospital."

"Stop!" Thor put his hand out in front of some soldiers. They looked at him blankly. "Don’t you recognize me? I'm Thor, son of Odin." The army kept on attacking.

"Guys, we have a problem," Tony began. He waited a second as Jarvis talked in his ear. "There's a nuke going to touch down in seven minutes."

Thor grunted as he threw a soldier into another one. "Why is your government so naïve? They think they can solve everything with more destruction."

"I want to put it somewhere, but we can't throw it into Asgard. Millions would die." Tony flew across the sky as he shot at the soldiers down below. He sent debris from fallen buildings onto them, smashing them under the weight.

I searched my surroundings and kicked a soldier in the head. He drew his sword and aimed at me. I grabbed a hold of his arm, twisted it behind his back, and sent him to the ground. "Give me a place and I'll move it."

Jarvis calculated something, sounding faint in the ear piece. "Jay says he can't find a place," Iron Man responded sadly.

"There's got to be a way. There are thousands of people here," Steve wandered off as he chucked his shield. It bounced off of men left and right until it landed back in his hands.

A quinjet came in hot and hovered above us. It fired at a group of enemies and wiped them out. "You guys need to leave. _Now_ ," Coulson advised after he connected to our comms. "And I don't want to hear any but's about it. This is a direct order. There are enemy jets flying in, and I don't have the support to take them out."

Steve shook his head and was about to say something until I stopped him, "Unless you want to die by radioactive material, Rogers, then get on the damn ship." Fire erupted from my hands and set a falling building on fire. It exploded after it crashed against some cars and blew chunks of the army away. We shielded ourselves from the immense heat.

Steve objected, "We can't leave."

I made sure no one was around at the second and put my hands on Steve's face. He looked at me, his expression pained. His lips twitched slightly to say something, but nothing came out. Dirt covered his face in spots and filled in the cuts he had. Sweat dripped down from his messy hair to the side of his temple. I reasoned with him, "If we go down with them, who is that helping? No one is going to protect the remaining population from Loki." I paused and bit my tongue. The consequences that could come after would damage us. Who knows what would happen. "This sounds bad, but do these doomed lives seem more important than the rest of the world's? We need to go. Please." My voice cracked as I thought about what I was saying, "We can't save everyone, Steve, but we sure as hell can avenge them."

Steve tightened his hold on his shield and covered us from a blaster shot. The big brutes marched from the portal and into Chicago, firing at anything they could see. He hesitated and looked at all of the destruction. The madness. Fire started to spread. Smoke and dirt rose from the ground and broken cars. Team members huffed and sounded tired through the ear piece. We hadn't even made a dent in the army, let alone take out Red Skull and Loki. Dead civilians lined the streets, covered in blood and dirt. He had to make a decision. "Avengers…assemble…" Steve hung his head and ordered. The sound of failure and defeat hovered in his voice.

"Hulk, get out of here," Stark demanded as he made his way back to the quinjet. Hulk smashed a few more soldiers and buildings until he finally jumped out of battle. A green speck was all that could be seen in the air until he disappeared behind another building.

A scratchy voice came over the comms, "Nat and I can't make it."

No. Not Clint and Natasha. They were going to make it. Hell would have to freeze over before I let them go. "Get Peter to the quinjet. I'll meet you there," I told Steve and created a portal leading to the tallest building I could see. I grabbed one of the satellite dishes to maintain my balance and searched for them. "Which street are you on?"

"I see you," Clint waved one arm as he held Nat up with the other. My hand aimed at the spot in front of them, spawning a bright pink portal. They walked in and I switched towards the quinjet, where I placed the other. They landed inside of the jet safely and buckled up.

I jumped down against the side of the building, running my hands across it a few times to slow myself down. Having Peter's power to cling against objects came in handy for a situation like this. I landed on the ground and got my bearings straight before I went on my next search.

Amelia.

"Lilly, what are you doing?" Peter yelled through comms. He sounded panicked and watched me from the jet.

"Hold on," I hushed him and listened. Through the blasters of the quinjet going off and the guns firing at it, I could hear a sharp cry. Somewhere…close. I heard her.

"Lilly!" Her shrill shriek bounced and echoed in the streets.

I glanced around quickly and spotted her in the crevice of a broken building. I sprinted towards her and picked her up in my arms. Tears stained her red cheeks and eyes. Amelia's lips quivered as her whole body shook. "Don't worry, sweetie. You'll be okay." I jumped into a portal and hopped into the quinjet. "Waiting on you, Coulson!" I strapped Amelia in and looked around.

Coulson took off and sped across the sky. Tony sat down and put his head in his hands. He hadn't taken the suit off just in case, but the suit was setting off sparks because it was damaged so bad. Scratches, broken and twisted metal, the beam of his core was dim, his suit was a mess. Steve sat in the front with Coulson, remaining quiet.

"Thor, get out of there!" Barton hollered into the mic. Ash littered his brown hair, making it seem darker than it really was. His suit was torn in places and his an empty quiver clipped to his back. He glimpsed out the window in an attempt to see him, but we were already almost out of town. "Thor, close the portal to Asgard. You're in danger!" His hands stayed on Nat's shoulders to hold her up. She bled from several wounds and a major one to the leg. She was out cold, but the seat belts kept her in place.

All that echoed through over comms was Thor and Loki's fighting.

Peter dropped the scepter, rushed over to me, and hugged me. After nearly dying and almost losing me, his heart thumped against his rib cage. He threw his mask to the ground and inhaled the fresh air, taking in the smell of the fight. I made sure Amelia wasn't looking out the window and set my hand on the top of her back. She whimpered and put her hands around my leg, pulling me closer.

The blast finally hit and the bomb detonated. The ship shook a bit, but not enough to throw it off course. A mushroom cloud came into view, overshadowing the city of Chicago. It was bright and full of fire. Colors of gray, dark red, and black filled the sky.

All of us remained silent. The city was obliterated.

Our mics started to screech with a sharp noise and all of us yelled as we took it out. We threw it to the center of the ship and let them malfunction. Thor must have lost his ear piece in the blast. Or…he was in the blast.

I imagined it all. What it would be like to be on ground zero and seeing it go off. Those poor people running or staring in awe. The screams as they knew their fate was upon them. The heat as it cooked their skin and erased their existence. A pain settled in my chest and almost made me cry out.

All those lives we were supposed to protect…and we let them down. We let them die. What else could we have done? The government had other plans that clearly didn't involve us. They planned to kill us all. Dying alongside them would leave no one to avenge them.

We were weak. injured. Hopelessly outnumbered. We were a bunch of torn heroes that failed to make the world a better place.


	37. Chapter 37

Dreary. Dark. Desolate. Dull. Dismal. Dead.

So many words to describe the scene right now and convey what everyone felt.

The sun shined, but became overshadowed by the clouds roaming in the sky. Gravestones chipped away from the different types of weather and turned a lighter gray over time. The grass grew perfect and green towards the center of the cemetery, but towards the outskirts, they formed in patches. Birds didn't chirp in the trees. Some bugs sang songs in the grass and some birds flew around, but not much else could be heard other than the ceremony.

Steve and I watched Peggy's funeral from the sidelines behind some trees. There weren't a lot of agents from S.H.I.E.L.D. there, but some of Peggy's friends from funeral homes. Some were family members, others just people she must have saved along the way in one form or another. Steve didn't want to go over there in front of everyone. He wanted to visit her grave in private. He had told me that joining those people would make him feel outcast. No one knew her longer than he did. They would beg for stories, and seeing as he was Captain America, they might have bugged him for even more stuff.

The ceremony was beautiful. Soft music from a choir played as the casket lowered into the grave. Soldiers marched away and gave her next relative the American flag that was on top of her casket. She served her country well and was one hell of a soldier. After founding one of the top companies in the world, she deserved every good thing she got. Some people described her in their speeches. Strong willed. Loving. Dedicated. Funny. Charming. Radiant smile. An accent so perfect it was like music to their ears. One of them even mentioned her fighting skill and how she could have taken on more than twenty guys at once if she had to.

Steve leaned against the tree and peered down at the ground. Tears swelled up in his blue eyes, but none of them dropped onto his face. He tried so hard to keep it together, but I knew he was dying on the inside.

"It was bound to happen, whether naturally of old age or not," I began in a solemn tone. "The scene looked like she died fighting."

He sniffled and wiped his nose. He straightened out his brown leather jacket and cleared the tears from his swollen eyes. "She would _never_ go down without a fight. It's just who she was. It's how she'll always be remembered."

I let Steve have a moment of silence. In a time like this, I was surprised that he didn't want to be alone. He asked us to come along. I glanced down at Amelia, who held my hand tighter in intervals of ten seconds. She looked down at the ground and used her shoe to play with the bug she found in the grass. Her long black hair shined and her brown eyes always widened in wonder. She adored exploring new places and meeting new people. She got along with the team just fine, but missed her father at times. She often asked where he was, and all I could ever manage to say was in a safe and happy place.

What else was I supposed to say to a four year old?

Her mother died when she was born. Amelia's father put a restraining order against her aunt, who was crazy. Apparently, she had kidnapped Amelia and almost got her killed in the process. Amelia had no other family. I did what I had to. I took her in. She's been so happy and hasn't left my side since.

"The group is meeting us at the tower for the big memorial dinner. I can't wait to hear the stories you have of Peggy," I declared. My eyes traveled over to Steve, who grabbed my hand gently. He stared off into the distance as people began to leave. Minutes passed and soon, the grave was filled up and everyone was gone.

Steve let go of my hand and walked towards the grave. Amelia began to follow, but I softly tugged her back and told her he needed some alone time. It was the least I could do for him.

Rogers kneeled down by the grave and set a compass down against the headstone. He opened it, revealing a small picture of Peggy inside. He stood back up and looked up at the sky. He blinked back a few more tears and started talking. "I can't believe you're gone…There's so much I want to say." He stopped and his eyes searched her tombstone.

_Margaret "Peggy" Carter._

_April 9th, 1921-April 13th, 2015._

_Beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Founder._

_"I know my value. Anyone else's opinion doesn't really matter."_

"We were like parallel lines. Always close. Never together…" Steve bit his lip at the memories seeping into his mind. "I uh…I always imagined you at the Stork Club waiting for me to come back. Waiting there for our first date. Waiting for our first dance…You knew I wouldn't show, but you tried anyway. You wore that stunning red dress with your hair and make up done all nice. You would have been the most gorgeous girl in the whole place…" He brushed his hair back with his hand and cracked a smile. "You must have also taken forever in picking the perfect song for the band to play. Something slow. Something intimate. I wouldn't want to step on your shoes." He paused.

He never knew what happened next. How could he? He slept for over seventy years. He had been dying to know what actually happened, but Peggy never remembered. She remembered everything about Steve, but hardly anything about what happened after the war.

"I guess that's all we'll ever be. An incomplete sentence. A half-written story. Finished, without an ending." Steve wiped the tears that escaped from his eye and bowed his head down. "I'm sorry, Peggy. I'm sorry for everything. You deserved so much more out of life. So much more…" His hand grazed the top of her shiny new tombstone, perfectly cut out of a dark marble. He lingered there for a second before retracting his hand. "Goodbye, Peggy."

Steve headed back towards us. Eyes still swollen, lips red from him biting them, rosy red cheeks. His hands were shaking and he looked physically drained. Amelia looked up at him with her brown eyes and shyly asked, "Can we get ice cream?"

Steve bent down in front of her and put on a small smile. "Of course, but only if you give me a really big hug." Amelia jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly. He held her close and closed his eyes.

I think he really needed that from her. Having Amelia could bring joy into all of our lives. Even if I couldn't have my own kids, I had her. I could adopt her. She would distract me from the sleepless nights full of guilt for what happened. The whole team hadn't talked about the event. Why would we? We could see the guilt tearing each one of us up inside. Our sleeping patterns were thrown off. We hardly spent time together and stopped joking around a lot. Things weren't going to be back to normal so quickly.

Maybe not at all.

 

The elevator door opened, letting us out into the Avengers' tower living room. Clint walked through the kitchen in boxers with a matching shirt and got himself a slice of day old pizza. Tony's muffled talking could be heard from upstairs, along with Pepper's voice. They must have been getting ready together. Bruce stuffed his face with fast food he had bought earlier. The Hulk had drained him the other day, so he needed a lot of food to satisfy him. No one had seen Thor or heard from him since the incident.

Peter greeted us and picked Amelia up. He talked to her and tickled her. Amelia's laughter echoed throughout the room, cutting through the thick atmosphere.

Natasha turned the volume up on the television and hesitated, "Guys, you might want to take a look at this."

The action television show changed to an emergency news meeting with the President of the United States of America. He walked towards the podium, closing his eyes slightly as bright flashes from cameras started going off. He waved to the audience, but his grave expression didn't help bring up the mood. "I am very sad to hear about all of the lives lost in Chicago, Illinois a few days ago. My heart goes out to all the families with loved ones stuck in that terrible accident." He adjusted the papers in front of him, but flipped them over and looked directly into the camera. "The Avengers were there. Saving people, saving the city, but in all of that mess, they ended up giving up. Tony Stark sent out a nuclear bomb to clean up the disaster they couldn't handle. Earth's mightiest heroes? They abandoned the people. They are alive now while millions of innocents are dead." Gasps sounded off in the audience.

Natasha sat up in her seat, angered by the speech. Steve grit his teeth together and started breathing heavily. I put a hand to my mouth to muffle my soft gasp. As if we hadn't felt enough to deal with already. Peter bounced around with Amelia in his arms, and slowly stopped when he heard the news. Clint dropped his pizza onto the floor. Bruce left the room before he got angry.

"I have signed warrants for their arrests. The Avengers are a danger to everyone around them. We will not rest until all of them are arrested and put on trial for their actions."


End file.
